


Heavy Lies The Crown

by tyrantsandcreampuffs



Category: Gundam SEED
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-12-03
Updated: 2013-07-14
Packaged: 2017-12-23 23:41:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 112,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/932475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tyrantsandcreampuffs/pseuds/tyrantsandcreampuffs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cagalli is an exiled princess who will stop at nothing to reclaim her throne. Athrun is a prince who doesn't quite know what he wants. After the two meet, their lives are forever changed. But with another war brewing between their kingdoms, will the two ever find a way to be together?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Come Back When You Can

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heavy Lies The Crown: Chapter One  
> by tyrantsandcreampuffs
> 
> You left your home. You're so far from everything you know.  
> Your big dream is crashing down and out your door.  
> Wake up and dream once more.
> 
> Song of the Chapter: Come Back When You Can by Barcelona.

 

There was a short shuffle of footsteps outside her door. Cagalli raised her blanket up to her chin, closed her eyes, and tried her best to give an impression of someone sleeping. She knew that if it was her father coming to her, and there was no doubt he would scold her for staying up so late and not resting when she had a grand celebration to face tomorrow.

Ah, yes, it was going to be her thirteenth birthday. In excitement, Cagalli giggled in her bed. She had often been teased for her not so pitchy voice, but she quickly made those people regret that they had insulted her by promptly kicking at their shin.

The door creaked open and Cagalli had to bite back a gasp as she pulled her covers even further up her head.  _Oh no!_ she thought.  _Now it's obvious that I'm still awake!_

And just as she guessed, her father had come to see her before he would retire for the night. He came into the room with a candle in one hand, lighting a small area of the large living space.

"Cagalli," Uzumi started in a tired yet still teasing voice. He put down the candleholder on the drawer beside her bed. "I know you're awake so there's no point—"

She threw her sheets upward and it landed on his face, temporarily setting him back as she tried to dash out of her room, but since he was bigger, he also could do bigger steps, Cagalli remembered in the last second, before she was caught in the arms of her father and was being tickled back into her bed.

"St-st-stop it!" she managed to croak out in between her mirth. "Father, it tickles!"

Uzumi smiled tiredly at his young daughter. "Okay, but you have to tell me why you're still awake."

"I couldn't sleep," she admitted, sitting up. "I was so excited! Can you guess what happens tomorrow? You have five tries!"

He gave his best calculating look. "A meeting with the different representatives?"

"No!"

"A meeting with foreign delegates?"

"No!"

"Kisaka and Manna scolding you?"

"Yes! Maybe! No—no!" Cagalli furrowed her eyebrows and glared at her father. "You're not even trying!"

"You're going to meet with Kira?" he tried again, pushing her back down onto the bed. "You're going to your Aunt Caridad's and play with the other children there? Is that it, Cagalli?"

"No!" This time, she was pouting. "Father, how dare you?" she wailed, raising her arms above her head. "How dare you forget my one and only birthday? I know that you have your responsibilities to Orb, but come on! It's only one day out of a whole year!"

At his daughter's sudden display of…herself, Uzumi could not help but not hold back his smile. It was only natural for his Cagalli to not give him a last fifth try and just burst somewhere in the middle.  _What a spoiled brat she turned out to be_ , he mused to himself. But he was undeniably proud of her for that very spirit she had.  _One day, Cagalli, you're going to inherit all of this—all of Orb, the burden of the people and your new responsibilities to them included._  She was admittedly the only person he could trust in continuing their ideals, the very foundation of Orb. He trusted her more than his parliament, those damned representatives who could be so easily swayed by others.

He was not going to give up Orb to them—not without a fight, at least.

He looked back at his daughter's big amber eyes staring at him. "Father, you haven't said anything." She pouted again, crossing her arms as he tucked her into the fleece blanket. "Were you even paying attention to what I said?"

"Yes," he chuckled, but pretended to be exasperated at Cagalli. "It's your birthday tomorrow and you think that's reason enough for you to forego your bedtime." He raised a brow and Cagalli giggled at that. "Manna would have my head for allowing you to stay longer, wouldn't she?"

"She can't!" Cagalli immediately argued. "No one can have the king's head!"

"And no one should be dictating the princess other than her father, but she follows orders from other people because—?"

"Because she's not old enough to make decisions by herself," she recited under her breath, gritting her teeth at the line she's memorized because the question had been asked so many times before. "But I'm turning thirteen tomorrow!"

"Yes, you are," he finally agreed, standing up from her bedside. "So you should go to sleep now or you won't be awake tomorrow when everyone else is celebrating. You don't want that, do you?"

"No, I don't," she started to mutter. "But they'll be there tomorrow, won't they? It's Kira's birthday, too. He'll be there with Miri, Tolle, Sai, Juri, Mayura, Asagi; even Yu—" and her babble turned into light snores against the sound of the waves crashing on the other side of their castle. He sighed and kneeled down next to her daughter's sleeping figure.

"I'm glad it was you," he whispered, pushing back the bangs framing her face. "I could not have asked for a better daughter."

He kissed her once on the forehead before standing up and retreating to his own room. He looked back once and smiled peacefully. "Good night, Cagalli."

* * *

There was another round of scurrying footsteps outside her door, only this time, Cagalli was sure that shouldn't be. Dawn hasn't arrived yet—unless her father was right earlier when he said she would miss out on her own celebration, so perhaps it was night? No, that couldn't be. She got out of her bed and checked her closet—yes, the dress she was supposed to wear for the day was still there. She frowned.  _What's going on—_

Suddenly, her door was open and she gasped when she saw the panic-stricken faces of Kisaka and Manna, and then the calm one of her father. They seemed to be arguing over something and it irritated her how they had to pick her room out of all the other rooms in their big house. She glared at the three elder figures she all equally considered family, but none were paying attention to her.

"But would she be safer there—"

"She'd more likely be spared there than here."

"And what of the people? What will be of them once—"

"It would be a stupid move if they risk the lives of civilians—"

"And how exactly do you plan to escape?"

"I will defend Orb and her ideals with everything I have—"

"And what about her? Would you leave her just like that?"

Cagalli looked back and forth as Kisaka and Uzumi shared a fast yet quite heated exchange.  _Poor Kisaka_ , she thought _._ He was so young compared to her father, yet he already had lines forming on his forehead. When there was no reply from Uzumi, Kisaka stomped loudly on the floor.

"You're her father! Don't you care for her enough to make sure—"

She did not need another word to know it was her they were arguing about. She turned to her father and saw all the years of piled stress and pent up frustration in his dull grey eyes. It was in moments like this that the thought came to her mind:  _Why don't I look like you?_  And she didn't realize that there were tears welling at the bottom of her eyes and that she started to shake in her worry for her three guardians: Kisaka, her personal bodyguard, Manna, her governess; and Uzumi, her very own father.

What was going on? Why were they talking about her?

"Manna," Uzumi started, his tone firm and resolute. "Evacuate everyone else here. Tell them to go home, go hide, go anywhere else but here. Here is not safe—not now, not yet. Tell them the consequences if they don't immediately comply."

Manna nodded once and looked back at the younger Cagalli. It was probably going to be the last time she was going to see her, she thought. Quickly wiping the gathering moisture in her eyes, she ran off to the servants' quarters.

"Kisaka." Uzumi turned to the trusted general. "Quickly pack what you think Cagalli might need in your journey. Make it as light as possible and make sure they are necessities. I will have a word with her and when we are done, you are to leave immediately."

Kisaka answered with a curt nod before turning his heel to Cagalli's wooden cabinets and drawers. Cagalli's eyes widened at the sight. "What's going on—?"

"From here on, Cagalli, you have to be brave for me," he said, not showing any hints of the gentle tone he used only on her. "Not just for me, but for Orb, for everyone else who is depending on you to bring Orb back to her old state. Remember her ideals, Cagalli. You carry the name of Athha, so you must never lose sight of them—" His voice wavered a bit before he continued, "If you do so, then we would have lost all hope of recovering Orb, do you understand me?"

Cagalli nodded, but in truth, she had no idea what she was agreeing to.

"Cagalli, I don't know how to say this, but I just want you to know that I do love you." Cagalli was now in tears—her father had never told her that before. He showed it the best way that he could, but sometimes it still was not enough to satisfy that ache she had in her heart every time she tried to call for his father when he was busy with work. "And that I could not have asked for a better daughter," he repeated, causing Cagalli to jump to reach her father's neck and envelop him in her small arms.

"You make it sound like you'll never have the opportunity to show that again! I still have my birthday—and my birthdays to come! Each time, you'll give me a gift and I would be the happiest princess in all three kingdoms! That's what you told me then!"

And tears were also flowing down the old man's face, Kisaka noticed.  _Ah, this was the bond of the lion of Orb and his little cub_. He paced to the other side of the room where Cagalli and Uzumi were still locked tightly in a hug. Kisaka's heart twisted—he did not want to ruin their last moment together, but he had to take the princess away before the outside forces arrived at the castle.

He coughed once and Uzumi immediately pulled himself away from Cagalli's grasp. She still tried to reach for him, struggling against Kisaka's big arms. "Kisaka, let me go! Let me go with Father! I'll be with him forever, I—"

"Don't be so foolish, Princess!" he stated, readjusting the strap of her bag by swinging his shoulder. "This is his sacrifice for you—"

Cagalli started kicking against his well-built torso—not quite giving the effect she wanted, causing her to thrash around in his arms. "Kisaka! Kisaka, let me go! I want to be with—"

Uzumi followed them out to the corridor. He always felt the need to indulge his daughter, but he could not grant her current request—not now, not ever again, he knew. He frowned, making the lines on his face more evident. He ran his hand through his long gray hair and looked at the small girl trying to catch a better glimpse of him.

"Father!" she was crying again. "You can't leave me! You can't let me leave you! Please, do something—" she pleaded in between sniffles. "You don't love me—you're lying. If you did, you wouldn't be doing this, you—"

And Kisaka and Uzumi stopped at the top of the staircase leading to the reception hall. "Your Majesty," Kisaka started, turning around to face the king. "It has been my honor to serve you. I will personally see to it that Cagalli gets to safety."

"Thank you, Kisaka," Uzumi replied, giving a small lopsided grin. "And you, my dear daughter," he brushed back Cagalli's bangs. In Kisaka's arms, Cagalli was struggling again to get a hold on her father. "May Haumea bless and guide you always."

He gently held Cagalli's face in his hands and planted a kiss on her forehead. Cagalli was gripping on the fine fabric of his tunic. "You can't leave me," she argued again. "Not like this—" But Uzumi hushed her; took her hands off of his clothes and put them down on her sides again. He looked at Kisaka and gave him a curt nod, signaling him to move on.

Kisaka was half-carrying, half-dragging her out of the room and down the flight of stairs which were, like the hallway, lighted by the torches hanging on the stone walls. He would not let her escape his hold—given the opportunity, she would run up back to her father and stay with him. It was Uzumi's last wish to keep her safe and he was going to make sure he did exactly that. Cagalli was punching at the air, trying to reach for his hands and bite into them, but Kisaka kept cool and did not mind the small pains inflicted on his body.

"Let me go now!" she demanded, kicking her feet up and down. The tears were streaming down her face and Kisaka immediately knew that her heart would be her downfall _._  She was too much of an Athha to be anything else, really, and he could not help but pity the little crying girl—soon-to-be orphan.

He knew what Uzumi was putting himself in—he saw it in his eyes, the same ones that were usually so emotionless in conferences, yet softened always at the sight of the young girl. He had seen what Uzumi wanted, had seen that he firmly believed that he was doing it for her sake—so that she could live in a peaceful world.

What a fool Uzumi was—he was leaving his daughter, yes, but look at the world he left her in, left her to have. No child should have to go through that, through knowing that their parents were simply playing hero and acting like they knew what they were doing.

Cagalli was still putting up a fight when they reached the stables. The different horses the Athha family owned were stomping their feet against the muddied ground as if they knew of the ominous dangers coming to the castle. At the end, a large, intimidating horse was waiting for them. It was dark, yet its white color gave a somehow ethereal glow against the light of the torches.

Kisaka mounted Cagalli onto the saddle and quickly followed suit—not giving the princess any chance to escape.

"Are you okay?" he asked, trying to arrange her such that she's somehow comfortable on his lap.  _Of course she's not, you idiot,_  Kisaka mentally berated himself.  _She just lost her father._

Kusanagi, that was the name of the horse, whinnied when Kisaka pulled on his reins and started driving Kusanagi out of the barn and into the open forest grounds that was a direct passage out of Orb. It was usually guarded night and day by guards for at any time for bandits could come from the forest—that is, if they survived such a long journey from outside of Orb—and attack the castle, but now, given the situation, no one was there.

They made their way into the forest, trying to avoid hitting the warped branches and tripping on the twisted roots scattered everywhere on the ground. It wasn't dawn, but there were soft traces of light passing through the canopy—and it was enough for Kisaka to guide them a good distance away from the castle. He breathed out in relief—at least pursuers would have more difficulty in catching up to them now.

And after half an hour of simultaneously riding and struggling, Cagalli fell limp in Kisaka's hold. "Princess?" he called out. "Cagalli, are you dizzy? Would you like me to slow down? We should be twenty miles in the forest. Safe, for now."

"Kisaka?" she said faintly. "Kisaka? Please,  _please_ —tell me what's going on." She arched her neck to face him properly and Kisaka could see that her usually bright eyes were red and puffy all over, and just plain exhausted of tears, as if there were no more she could possibly give to grieve for her losses. And he frowned, pulling on the reins to completely stop.

Kusanagi neighed loudly in protest—he was building up momentum, after all. Kisaka mumbled his apologies before jumping off of his horse. He offered his hand to Cagalli, but she jumped off after him, falling to the ground, next to Kusanagi's front legs, causing him to step back and object again.

"Oof—" she grunted and then tried to stand, but fell again. Kisaka's eyes widened and picked her up from the ground.

"Princess, are you okay—"

"I sprained my ankle, but it could've been worse," she immediately answered and then brushed off the dirt on her chemise. Kisaka frowned at her display of nonchalance—Cagalli was a girl driven by emotion, but now he could see her suddenly mature and be broken at the same time.

 _All because of the death of her father_ , he noted, still frowning disapprovingly at her tone.

"Now tell me," she continued. "If I am to lead Orb one day, I have to know what's happening now—how terrible the situation could possibly be to have me flee like this into the forest to—Plant, I presume." The look on her face was very grave, not that of a thirteen year old on her birthday. This was the only time he could properly see her as Uzumi's daughter, the one he raised to be strong for the sake of everyone else.

"Kisaka," she demanded in a softer tone. "Tell me what I need to know,  _please_. I am the princess of Orb, and I've never used it to gain an answer like this before, so I'm hoping that you will at least give me that this once."

He sighed, running a hand through his grey hair. "Princess," he started, unsure of how to explain this in terms of a little girl. "Let's start with this: I'm not sure if I should still be technically you that—you'll always be the rightful heir to Orb to me and I'm sure that others share my sentiments, however—" He was choking on his own words, he knew, so he gave up on trying to censor things out. She could understand—she  _had_  to if she wanted to survive and follow her father's wishes for her.

"Basically, the Seirans—you know of them, don't you? At least their boy?" When Cagalli gave an affirmative nod, he continued, "Quite simply, they've taken over Orb. A well planned coup d'état. Most of the army is loyal to you, though, Cagalli—that much, I can assure you, but right now, they're under the command of Unato Seiran."

He sighed again. "Do you understand so far?"

Cagalli's small blonde head bopped and leaned onto the tree trunk for support. "So Uncle Unato has betrayed father?"

"Yes," he said grimly, remembering the balding bastard. "Not just him—some of the other representatives, too. In any case, what we have to do is get you to Plant, someone there is bound to take you in even without the knowledge that you're of nobility."

"And what about you, Kisaka?"

"I'll find a way."

Somehow, that knowledge that Kisaka was unsure of his own fate did not sit well with Cagalli. She had just lost her father, she already knew that, and she knew that he would not want her to be crying over him like she had during the ride to where they were right now. She would not lose Kisaka, too.

She looked up at her typically foreboding bodyguard who was now trying to reassure her with a small grin. She gave one back, still leaning onto the trunk for support. Kisaka gave her a concerned look.

"Come here, Cagalli, I'll check up on your ankle."

She treaded slowly towards his figure. It was dark before she succumbed to the tiredness brought on by her continuous crying, and now it was somewhere in the middle of the morning, maybe.

She was sitting on the horse again as Kisaka carried her up on Kusanagi. He slowly removed her sandals and found a swelling spot just above her foot.  _Yes, she did sprain it_.

He quickly took a roll of bandages from the bag he packed for her, put some balm on her ankle and then wrapped it around with the cloth. She winced once as he straightened her ankle properly, but she did not yelp out or protest like she usually would. When he finished, he put the materials back inside her bag.

"It may be a bit heavy for you, but I'm sure if the need arises, you can carry this," Kisaka said, referring to the bag tied to the side of the horse. "It has everything you should need during our trip to Plant, including clothes, food provisions, and medicine. Yes, that's all you have to know, I think."

"And what about you, Kisaka?" she asked again, genuinely concerned for her personal guard.

The twenty-something year-old ruffled the princess's hair and she only frowned. "Hey, you, cheer up. I know things aren't as sunshine as the days before, but it'll get better."

Cagalli snorted softly. "It's sunny, Kisaka.  _Things aren't as sunny._ "

"I didn't exactly have to learn everything to become a general."

"Well, when you're a princess, you have to."

"Thank Haumea I don't have to wear your frilly dresses, right?" Kisaka joked, causing Cagalli to laugh a bit louder. "And I don't have to know where my utensils should be or how the books should be balancing on my head."

"Yes! Manna always—" and she stopped before she could continue with what she was going to say. "Do you think she made it out okay, Kisaka?"

"Knowing that woman, she probably did," he answered. He took a step back before leaping onto the horse's back. He started to drive Kusanagi again. "Now, come on. Do you know your geography?"

"I do not know much of outside Orb," she replied uneasily. "Only that there's a desert near the The Alliance and that Plant is quite surrounded by mountains, but I have been to parts of the two countries already. Why?"

Kisaka grinned cheekily, at least happy he was able to distract the young princess. "I'll teach you some things. This forest adjoins Orb and Plant, actually, but no one uses this route because they are afraid of the spirits here. Instead, you have the properly paved trade route which is somewhere on our…left, supposedly."

Cagalli looked at the direction Kisaka pointed to and pursed her lips at the sight. "Kisaka, there are only trees there."

"Well, we're quite far from the road as we're somewhere in the middle, so it'll take a while to get to that side of the forest," he tried to explain. "Next, on the other side of this forest is the ocean."

Cagalli frowned again. "But I can't hear it, Kisaka!"

"That's because we're in the middle of the forest—I just told you that." He sighed.  _At least she's being normal now_ , he reminded himself.

"So what of it?"

"If you completely go right, you'll end up at the edge of the forest, right?" he asked; Cagalli nodded. "Well, it's actually elevated—more of a bunch of cliffs and big rocks in between the land and the ocean. It's not a beach like what you have near your castle."

"I see…" Cagalli focused her attention on the different trees they passed.  _They all look the same_ , she realized. The trees were all tall, dark, and a bit foreboding because of the moss covering parts of the bark. Perhaps it was because the sun wasn't completely up yet so it couldn't properly light the forest. They seemed to be at least a meter in diameter and spanned...twenty feet? Thirty? Kisaka was going on a too fast rate for her to properly tell. "What else can you tell me of the forest, Kisaka?"

"Hmm," he thought for a while. "There's a river that starts Haumea knows where, but I think it's somewhere in the heart of the forest itself. It leads to…to the beach near the castle of the Plant royal family, actually," he said, a bit surprised at his own knowledge. Cagalli's eyes sparkled in interest.

"So that means the two castles are actually connected?" she asked, piqued. "That's so cool! So it means they also have a guarded area like we do?"

"I suppose so."

"But why are we in the forest? I mean, we're not going into Plant through there, obviously."

"Because we don't want to get caught," Kisaka pointed out plainly. "If we go onto the open road, the Seiran's troops or whoever can easily track and run after us. Meanwhile here in the forest, we can still lose them—" he stopped when he realized that there was a light drone of snores coming from the small figure in front of him.

* * *

They had been riding at a not so leisurely pace for about three hours when Kisaka heard the neighs of other horses, the clashing of hooves on the rocks, the striking of metal on branches and other hanging twigs, and the loud jeers of those people pursuing them.

"Damn," he cursed under his breath, looking at the little girl sleeping in front of him. He had to protect her—she was the embodiment of Orb's hopes and ideals and he had no doubt that this strong girl would be able to fulfill these one day and lead the country properly.

"Cagalli," he shook her awake. Cagalli's eyes fluttered open as they adjusted to the light. "Cagalli, wake up—I want you to hold on tightly because we're going to have to go even faster."

"But why—"

"Athha! Athha—yes, that's the little princess!" Cagalli turned her head around and found three men running after them. Her eyes widened as these men recognized her. "Clotho, Raider's faster than us, go get her!"

Clotho, the one with the red hair, Cagalli assumed, was the one chasing after them right now. She gripped tighter onto the neck of Kusanagi. "Kisaka, what—"

"Princess," Kisaka cut her off. "Do you see the bend up there? I'm getting off there and you keep riding. That path is paved and if you just go straight and ride in the fastest speed you can go, you'll get to Plant, do you understand?"

It was the second time she nodded that day to something she really didn't. It was more for fear, the uncertainty of the near future which nothing could quell. And there was no turning back once the bend came, she realized. She looked at the determined Kisaka behind her and bit her lower lip. There was no thanking him enough—he and her father, they were sacrificing themselves for her sake. She didn't ask for it, but she understood her new duty well enough to not question them further.

"Ready?" Kisaka asked gently, handing her the reins of Kusanagi. Tears were threatening to fall down Cagalli's face, but she held it in—for him, for her father, for the rest of Orb. She nodded once and when she did, he immediately let go of the reins and mounted off the horse.

Kisaka stood there, on the edge of the forest that lead to a small opening in the paved routes connecting Orb, Plant, and the The Alliance. He unsheathed his sword and held it in front of him in a defensive stance. The three soldiers pursuing them stopped in front of him and quickly jumped off their own horses and unsheathed their own swords. Soon, only the sounds of metal crashing against metal could be the only sound heard in the forest.

"Where is the princess?" the chartreuse-haired one demanded. "Where is she, damn it!"

Kisaka grunted as his sword was being pushed down his own face. His strength, however, was not to be underestimated as he easily pushed the young soldier's sword back and stabbed him somewhere in his torso.

"You will not get her!" he shouted back, retrieving his sword from the man's body. The soldier fell, and his colleagues immediately called out to him.

"Shani!" Clotho screamed, racing after Kisaka with his saber. "Damn it, you shall pay, you bastard!"

Clotho surged forward and Kisaka ducked down, avoiding his blow by a few inches. The other blond with him also tried to hit him, but he also evaded it just in time. It went on like this for a few minutes: just the two alternating, trying to get a shot, and with Kisaka avoiding all of them and pushing away their swords.

Finally, when Clotho found a way to distract Kisaka for a little, the other one, Orga, successfully stabbed his side. Kisaka howled in pain, clutching his side with one hand, and holding his sword in the other.

Cagalli turned around to the sudden shouts. "Kisaka!" she cried, pulling on Kusanagi's reins to stop him. "Kisaka, he—"

And as if the horse could understand, Kusanagi pulled her reins away from Cagalli's hold and began to sprint to the direction Kisaka pointed to. Cagalli yelped and tried to regain control, but the stubborn horse would not give in to the rather weak force of her pulling, so she gave up and cried instead in her seat.

 _There's nothing I can do_ , she thought to herself, still crying. _I'm so weak—so weak, Father, you're disappointed in me. I'm sorry, I can't—_

" _She'd more likely be spared there than here."_

She remembered her father's words—but doubted the truth behind them. He may have sounded so sure back then, but from what she's gathered in the past few hours, one could not easily trust others.

Starting there, Cagalli did not trust anyone.

Using all the force she could muster, she pulled on the reins of Kusanagi. The horse, tired from running for so long, couldn't fight back and had to stop. He protested when Cagalli jumped off to the side, stumbling a bit because of her still-recovering ankle.

"I'm sorry, Kusanagi—" she started, untying the bag Kisaka left for her. "But I can't go to Plant. You understand, don't you? It's better if I stay here. Who knows who'll find me there, who'll desert me, who'll try to kill me like those soldiers did to Kisaka, to Father, to the others at Orb…you understand, don't you?"

She limped her way back into the forest, carrying the rather heavy knapsack on her back. Kisaka was right—it was rather heavy, but it was still incomparable to the weight she was trying to shoulder, the ache she felt but could not express. She could not grieve because it did not make sense for her to—nothing could bring back the lives of those she loved; not even the old sheltered life she had in Orb.

The horse followed her into the forest, but he did not really understand, and that made Cagalli feel all the more lonely.

_End of Chapter One_


	2. A Fine Evening For A Rogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heavy Lies The Crown: Chapter Two  
> by tyrantsandcreampuffs
> 
> It started quite young; I learned how to stay quiet.  
> Just stay quiet, always stay.  
> Don't you ever get lonely?
> 
> Song of the Chapter: A Fine Evening For A Rogue by Lydia
> 
> Disclaimer: The Asucaga scene is inspired by Snow/Charming from Once Upon A Time.
> 
> Please do leave a review! :)

_Five Years Later_

_He's been staring out the window for the past ten minutes_ , she noted. Lacus gave a rather loud, exasperated sigh at her friend's habit.  _At least this means he hasn't changed,_ she thought as she smiled at the blue-haired prince seated on the opposite side of the carriage. In her hands was a small pink stuffed toy he had given her on her birthday a few years back; she patted it as if it were a real animal.

"Athrun?" she tried once more to get his attention, but he was still looking out of his window, as if there was something interesting to be seen in the banal pattern of rocks and moss found at the bottom of the mountains. She tried to look out of her own window, too, but really, there was nothing worth noting in the road they were currently on.

She took her toy, properly christened  _Sir Pink_ , and aimed it at Athrun's face. When it hit his cheek and landed softly on his lap, he looked at Lacus with widened green eyes, obviously shocked at her small tantrum. "What did I do?"

"You were staring out again," Lacus merely laughed it off, her hands still on her lap. "Really, Athrun, Kira said it's gotten better, but I don't think I believe that now." And she let another round of giggles pass through her soft lips.

Athrun, only slightly offended, ran a gloved hand through his hair and tugged at the roots. "I can't blame it if I'm—"

"Interested in everything?" Lacus offered, still smirking. "It's alright. It's perfectly understandable given that you love the whole world."

"Haha, you are  _so_  funny, Lacus," he remarked, biting back the sarcasm as he usually did. "Anyways, what exactly did I miss?"

"Before you went up to space, I was talking about how you should have your hair cut, Athrun," she pointed out, looking at the strands of midnight blue hair falling over Athrun's eyes. "It's getting long—really, I could mistake you for a lady if it wasn't for your uniform."

"When did you grow up, Lacus?" he asked, trying to digress. "Your hair was so short five years ago—what made you decide to grow it out?"

"It was Father who wanted me to have long hair. He said it was befitting, and I agree with him," she kindly responded, taking back Sir Pink from Athrun's lap to her hands. "But you  _are_  avoiding the topic, Sir Zala. I will not have it."

"Then I will have my hair cut once we get back to Aprilius," he told her deftly in such a chivalrous manner any other girl would have easily swooned over—except, perhaps, this pink-haired noble who, he knew, had her eyes set on someone else. "So let me get back to the topic we had before…I went up to space, as you phrased it. Why are you the one going to Copernicus? Shouldn't they be sending an older, more experienced delegate to represent Plant?"

Lacus pursed her lips before replying, "Father was the one assigned to meet with King George Allster, however, I took the opportunity to expose myself to these things—if I want to be a member of the council one day, I should be aware of what I am dealing with, is that not right?"

"It is," Athrun answered in a thoughtful voice. "However, it's rather dangerous, don't you agree? We could've been set up or something; it's the The Alliance we're dealing with, after all—"

"Always worried over me, you and Kira are," she cut him off. "And Athrun, you should be more careful with the things you say. Whatever issues we may have had with the The Alliance back then—we're past that, Athrun. It's been seven years since that war has ended." She stopped when she saw that he was clenching his fists on his lap, so she took his hands in hers and held it up for him to see his own anger. "We are friends now, so we have to aid them in any way possible as they would do the same for us if we were in their position."

"It's only because Orb isn't complying with the demands of the Alliance," Athrun reasoned. "So if they just reach some sort of middle ground and work from there—"

"You do not understand the state of Orb, do you, Athrun?" Lacus asked calmly, her light blue eyes twinkling. She dropped his hands and put her own back onto her lap. "Honestly, neither do I, but that is only because Orb has closed herself off from Plant and her government is being strict with the people going in and out of Orb. It's been five years, hasn't it? What do you think the condition of the people there are? Do you think they are well?"

Athrun sighed for the nth time in their trip back to Plant.  _Leave it to Lacus to ask such questions_ , he thought. She wasn't titled the  _Princess of Peace_  for nothing, he knew, but sometimes he wished he could feel more—that he could be more empathetic like her to think of such notions, but it was hard to when he had his own country to worry about.

"Yes," he answered, though not quite sure himself if that was the right one. "They must be—if not, then they wouldn't have stood for it. Five years, you say? And not one leak of an uprising of any sort? It must mean that the people are somehow content."

"But that is not what King George Allster said. He said that Lord Djibiril, one of his former subjects, has control over Orb through one noble family of Orb—the Seirans, was it? And because they have not communicated with the Alliance five years since the takeover, the King is assuming that—"

"But the earlier reports that came in from refugees say that it was because of a coup d'etat—which led to their current state of a civil war. A government overthrown in a day. Nothing is right in politics," Athrun stated, staring intently at Lacus's eyes. "Can we discontinue this discussion or shall you persist that I talk of things I don't genuinely wish to concern myself with?"

Lacus smiled. "You were the one who brought it up again, Athrun—no, don't deny it. But, really, Athrun, you should at least try. You are the crown prince of Plant, the only heir to the throne. Your father would be more than devastated once he hears that his son doesn't like the life planned out for him."

"No, Lacus, you misunderstand." He sighed again, wishing he did not have to explain himself at all. "It's not that I don't like it—I do enjoy the royalties entailed, however, I don't believe that I'm in the best position to take over his seat, that I'm capable of steering a whole country in a certain direction."

"Have more faith in yourself, Athrun," she whispered in a soft yet firm tone. "You are right—you will not accomplish much if you yourself do not believe that you are capable of doing much. So believe in yourself, Athrun, for the sake of your family—for your country."

Athrun opened his mouth to say something, anything to counter what Lacus had just told him, but no words could reach his lips. She was right after all—she was very much infallible when it came to her judgment of character, and knowing that she has known him since they were young, he did not doubt anything she said about him.

And instead, he gave her a small lopsided grin. "You're right, Lacus," he admitted, pocketing his hands. In one was a pouch which contained the ring his father had ordered him to give her as a  _proper_  engagement gift. He looked at his pink-haired friend and gripped the pouch tightly. He would be taking her chance of happiness with his best friend if he gave it to her, he realized. And he was not too selfish as to do that to the two people he held most dear. "You're absolutely right."

And again, she beamed at him. "How I only wish—" she started, but was cut off when the carriage came to an abrupt stop. Athrun immediately took his hands out of his pockets and put them onto the hilt of his sword. "What was that?" Lacus asked, her worry reflecting in her eyes.

He shook his head and opened the door of the carriage. He stepped out onto the earth he was staring at just a few minutes ago, now watching around for any sign of danger. He jumped a bit to get used to the feel of the somewhat wet ground against his shoes and sprinted to where their escorts were gathered. "What's the problem here?" he asked.

"We've just reached this siege. Nothing to worry about," reassured Martin DaCosta, the driver of their carriage. All of the men were off of their horses, trying to roll the large trunk to the side. "It's really big, though. If it's not too much to ask, Prince Athrun, we'd like to ask for your assistance here as well."

"It is not," he replied smoothly. Athrun took off his gloves and pocketed them before going to the other end of the tree where it was supposedly uprooted. He bent down on a knee to support that side. He was holding it when he realized that it felt too smooth under his palms, and his eyes widened.

"Drop it at once!" he barked, pulling away from the trunk. His men, though confused, followed his orders. They looked at him with a stumped expression. Why did he make such an order?

Athrun came back to a kneeling position and started inspecting the end of the tree. If it had been uprooted by its own weight, it should have inconsistencies on the surface, not cleanly cut. "It's too even…it's been cut down…on purpose...It's…" he was muttering, and the sounds of a horse stomping from a distance made him immediately stand from his previous stance. "—an ambush!"

He whirled around, his riding cloak following through, and ordered to his men: "Watch out for anyone! If this is by the The Alliance, I swear, there will be hell to pay!"

Meanwhile, in the carriage, Lacus was still on her cushioned seat.  _Perhaps this it_ , she thought,  _perhaps it was their end_. She had promised to come back safely to Kira, but—no, she had no doubt that Athrun would protect her not just for his and Kira's sake, but also for the rest of Plants. Her eyes looked down at the empty seat opposite her—though, it was not quite empty. A small pouch lay in front of her and she was not too dense as to not know what it contained.

Despite her current predicament, she sighed. Athrun was helpless, but then again, so was she and Kira. They were all not too different from one another and it was only made worse by the fact of their rankings and obligations to their country.

Her thoughts were interrupted when a cloaked figure opened the door of the carriage. It was not one of their escorts—she could easily tell as the figure was wearing different clothes. They were a bit tattered and maybe showed how meager the person's life was. A plain brown tunic that was loose yet somehow tight enough to show the small curve of the person's chest.  _A girl_ , she realized.

"Hello," Lacus calmly greeted. Inside, she was afraid for herself, but her education caused her to be poised albeit the threat. The person was holding a small blade pointed at Lacus, telling her:  _don't move or else I'll throw this right at your heart_. "May I help you?"

She gave a taut smile at the person and stared at the blade. It was a sharp silver, and reflected the rays of sun which hit it. It was clean, Lacus noted, too clean to have been stained by blood before. It meant a lot, meant that the person in front of her didn't intend to kill her. The person did not give a reply, and instead scanned the carriage for something—whether it was provisions or a valuable, Lacus could not tell.

The person, once their eyes landed on the small pouch Athrun left, snatched it and jumped off the step-board. Lacus breathed out a sigh of relief. Through her quarter light, she saw the person effortlessly mount on a horse easily twice the size as that person—lady, Lacus reminded herself. That person was a lady, and she was out here in the middle of a rugged terrain.

"Lacus!"A loud voice brought her out of her thoughts again. A second after, Athrun appeared at the same spot the lady was at. "Lacus? Lacus, are you okay? Did that bandit hurt you? Are you—"

Lacus firmly shook her head and cut him off, "No, Athrun; I'm fine. It's just—"

"—just what?" he asked, his eyes widened and his words separated by his panting. He inspected her from head to toe and found no traces of blood, so his eyes wandered around the carriage. "Lacus, what—"

"You left your pouch and sh—that person took it."

Just a moment ago, Athrun's face had been red from the short burst of speed he displayed to get to her. Now, it was devoid of all color. He felt for his pockets and when he found nothing, he started cursing, "No. No, Father will kill me—" And he looked at Lacus, her expression still very much composed. "I need to run after that damn brigandine. I will—Lacus, you go ahead back to Plant. I will follow suit. If I am not back in three days, send for Yzak and the others to find me."

He jumped on one of the horses of the escorts and looked back at her. By then, Lacus was standing outside of the carriage as well. "Be safe," she wished him. "Come back—to me and Kira."

He curtly nodded, put on his gloves, and ran after the lady. And Lacus could only look after him in melancholy. She hoped that the lady would also be safe from Athrun's temper. There was much sadness to be found in a person like her, from someone living in the forest like that lady was.

Martin DaCosta sprinted to the carriage and stopped right before Lacus, bowing respectfully before continuing, "Lady Clyne, are you alright?"

"Yes, Martin," she answered, looking at the tanned driver. "I am."

"Are there any orders from the prince? Shall I send for the escorts to follow him or shall we be moving on to Plant?" he inquired, looking at the trail of dust Athrun had left. " It's still about a day ride back, but given what's just occurred, it's best that we speed up if we want to get you to safety as soon as possible."

"That won't be necessary—I don't believe this route to be haunted by ghosts or threatened by bandits. Civilians pass from The Alliance to Plant here all the time," she pointed out, smiling softly.

"But, that man a while ago; he—"

"She," Lacus corrected him with her eminent smile. "She's a lady."

* * *

Athrun pulled at the reins and leaned further into the neck of the horse.  _Why don't you go faster, damn it_ , he cursed at the animal carrying him. The bandit he was chasing after was only a few meters ahead of him, but he couldn't seem to get his own stallion to catch up.

The bandit knew the forest very well, Athrun concluded, as he avoided all the branches and jumped when there were large roots sprawled on the ground. The chase went on for a good ten minutes—and Athrun knew that they were somewhere deep into the forest as the mountainous background was no longer seen. It was all a blur of green and brown and he was starting to hear the loud din of a rushing body of water; a river somewhere nearby. Athrun did not want to admit it, but he was starting to doubt if obtaining the ring was worth getting lost in unknown territory.

 _Go faster, damn it_ , he wanted to shout at the horse.

When his horse seemed to read his thoughts, it pushed deeper into the ground, giving it a higher leap. Athrun felt that he was finally closing in and stood on the side of the saddle, prepared to leap at any time to catch the thief. "Come here, you coward!" he challenged, stretching his arms out to reach for the cloak of the person.  _Just a little more—_

But his own horse suddenly tripped on a root, and Athrun, with a curse resounding in his mind, kicked the horse back to propel him to the other person. He caught onto the waist of that other person and pushed him off of his horse. They fell on the ground with a grunt coming out of both of their lips. The other person tried to recover and stumbled in an attempt to stand, but Athrun tackled him down once again, the person's back facing Athrun and their figure obviously trying to wriggle out of his tight hold.

"You coward," Athrun acknowledged again, trying to turn the person to face him. "Show yourself—"

The hood of the cloak of the thief fell on the ground, exposing their face. Athrun paused to look at him—he wasn't as ordinary as Athrun expected him to be. He had blonde hair which reached just past his shoulders—a bit too long for a guy, Athrun would have dryly commented if he wasn't preoccupied trying to keep the person still. He also had soft amber eyes that didn't look like that of a bandit or any kind of criminal. In fact, they seemed to be more honest than anything.

Athrun was trying to figure out what could possibly be wrong with the person under him when he he  _felt_  it. His grip on the fabric over the person's chest loosened as it dawned to him who—no,  _what_  this person was.  _What the hell_ , he thought. He felt his angry expression contort to one of shock.  _He…she's a_ —

"Girl," he mumbled, still looking dazed into the person's eyes. "You're a girl."

Cagalli felt her insides boil— _what the hell is that supposed to mean?_  She swore, she didn't care if the guy restraining her had a pretty face—she was going to tear it apart at his blatant disregard of her gender. She defiantly looked back up at him, gritting her teeth as she said, "That's right, I'm a girl! What is it with you men?"

Athrun was even more astounded at hearing her voice. The girl's contralto pitch was gruff yet was still laced with this unfathomable innocence sprouting from who knows where, Athrun couldn't tell, but he  _knew_  there was something  _very_ off about her. It was perhaps his earlier prejudice as he saw her as this thief, but who knows what his own mind could conjure when it comes to his judgment of people and his way of justifying it.

"Hey, you,  _pretty boy_. Yes,  _you_ ," she addressed him, looking irate. "Are you going to keep staring at me like I'm from space or are you going to let me go? What? Let me go, you bastard!"

Remembering their circumstance, Athrun snapped out of his musings about her and pinned her down onto the ground roughly yet again. Despite himself, he was grinning. With his eyebrows raised, he said with a certain interest, "I don't think you're in any position to tell me what to do. For all I know, if I get off of you, you'll get up and kill me—"

Cagalli put on a smile of sorts—that was, if you considered exposing her gnashed teeth a smile. Her eyebrows were furrowed and she was glaring at the guy who had the nerve to act so egotistical to her. "It isn't war; I can be  _quite_  civil—"

" _And_ ," he stressed, glaring back at her, but somehow still with his small grin. "For all I know, you can be from the The Alliance, but you don't look like someone the Omni forces would hire for an ambush. For a soldier, you did a disappointing job—"

"I am not part of the Alliance, damn it!" she argued, trying to claw at him, but Athrun's hands were holding her arms down, too, so all her efforts were generally futile. "And I am not a soldier either, so let me go!"

"I don't think a person from Plants would ambush a carriage carrying two nobles, so are you from Orb?" Cagalli's eyes widened.  _A Plant noble?_  she wondered, trying to look for a sign that he was telling the truth—and she did, somewhere on his garment was a heraldic design of who knows what family's coat of arms. Cagalli started to internally panic.  _If he's a noble, of course someone will go after him—and when someone does, they might find me, too, and just, shit. This means—_

"And I thought I had a bad habit of spacing out. You're just as bad as me," he complained, getting off of her. Cagalli, though, did not make any attempt to move. Athrun looked down at her amusingly. "You're not getting up?"

"I don't want to be tackled down again by you," she answered, rolling around as to not have the small rocks pierce her skin. "The first time hurt a bit, you know?"

"I'd expect you to know," he said smoothly, brushing off the dirt on his clothes.

When she did not react and instead looked confusedly at his retort, his mind went into disbelief.  _How aloof was this girl?_

Athrun chortled, his deep voice reverberating around the two. He leaned into a nearby tree and looked at the girl lying down in front of him. She was so unconventional, and too much of a mystery for him to form a proper opinion of. He didn't know what to make of her, this blonde. "You didn't answer my first question, though. Tell me,  _soldier_ , where are you from?"

"I told you, I am not a soldier!" Cagalli wailed again, her voice somewhat unsteady from the years of disuse. Athrun had noticed the waver in her pitch, but merely regarded it as an effect of her uneasiness around him. "And to answer your question: no, I am not from Orb."

"Then where are you from?"

She gave no answer.

"Are you a pariah?"

"I'd expect you to think so lowly of me."

"You're not giving me much to work with, really," he stated, stood, and started walking towards her. He knelt beside her and she looked up at him with a scowl. "Where did your horse go?"

"I told him to go home," she answered in a low voice, trying to intimidate him.

"Home? That horse is smart enough to direct itself?" he asked, amazed at the animal she could've possibly trained. But he masked his interest and said it more in a nonchalant tone. "Quite remarkable for a person like you."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she demanded, sitting up and stretching her arms to strangle him. He easily evaded her arms by swinging to the side, and she fell face flat on the ground. Her torso twisted to face him and her hands had pebbles in them—all of which, she threw at him. "You bastard, I will hit you!"

"You're only proving my point. You don't say your tactics to the enemy right before you're going to pull them off," he said, entertained by the blonde. "Or after, because I'm sure the enemy would know what you did to him, right?"

"Shut up!" Cagalli barked, finally standing up. Athrun backed away, anticipating her next move. She couldn't run away because he was sure she knew that she couldn't outrun him. They were standing a short distance away from each other; both careful of their movements—any suspicion could lead to the other doing something more brash.

Cagalli turned and started to walk; Athrun took a step forward and called for her, "Hey! Where do you think you're going? We—"

"Relax," she told him, leaning onto a tree with a slightly condescending smile. Her eyebrows were now up in amusement and her eyes reflected a little mirth at his anxiety. For that, Athrun's cheeks were tainted a light red, and so she was more amused. "So, what do we do? Or more accurately, what do you want to happen? Because if you want me to be honest, I just want to go on my own merry way and forget about you—and you'll forget about me. You go back to your kingdom while I keep living my life somewhere else far away from you."

"I won't. Not until you give me back the contents of the pouch," he said, crossing his arms.

"Well, how about I don't?" she provoked.

Cagalli noticed the change in the look in the guy's green eyes. He was really pretty for a guy, she realized, but wasn't surprised as he  _was_  of royal blood. He had midnight blue hair that framed his face in a flattering way—it was, however, covering his ears, so maybe he should have it cut. Aside from his obviously strong build, he was also quite tall, giving him a great advantage against her.  _Damn_ , she cursed,  _how am I supposed to get out of this one?_

Usually, the people she stole from wouldn't even realize that she took from them. She usually came out at night, when the carriages of travelers and merchants were stationary as to let the horses rest, and took provisions, things she would need—but this time she made a mistake of being early; being caught, and she could only curse herself for her stupidity and carelessness.

She bit her lip and looked at him. "I don't have it," she said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Liar," he spat, his once playful tone turning dangerous. Cagalli didn't want to admit to being scared, but she was. And she could feel the fine hairs at the back of her neck stand when he continued, "You are a liar."

"So you can tell," she commented almost sardonically. She pulled the pouch out of one of her pockets and when she did, he took another step forward, his arm halfway up to get it from her, but she took the blade she held earlier out of another pocket and pointed it at him. Her lips formed a thin line as she said, "Take a step closer and I promise I won't miss. I told you I can be quite civil, but you'll be pushing it if you make demands from me,  _pretty boy_."

Athrun raised both of his hands in faux surrender, taking a few backing steps for good measure. He could feel her eyes following him as he did so, and he tried to match the zeal hers showed. "Is there a need for such violence,  _soldier_?" he asked, trying to rile her up.

And Cagalli fell for it anyway. "Stop calling me a soldier, damn it!"

"Well, you stop calling me a pretty boy, and maybe we'll talk. I'd prefer that you call me by my name so that we can be  _civil_."

"No," she cut him with a glare. "Don't tell me what your name is."

"And why not?" he asked, trying to defy her. She really did not make any sense, Athrun thought as he put his arms back down to his side. "You don't even know my name yet, how could you hate it already—"

"Because you'll matter," she stated, looking down at the ground for a second before looking back up at him. "I don't want you to."

That remark had caught Athrun off guard and he found himself openly gaping in disbelief at the blonde standing opposite him. "I—" he started, looking for something to say, but he found none and was instead stuck with monosyllabic ramblings.  _Great going, Athrun_ , he scolded himself,  _you're probably scaring her away—which, you know, you don't want because you…have to get the ring_.  _Right_.

After a moment, they both heard a horse whinnying somewhere near them. Athrun turned around and saw that standing meters behind him was the horse he borrowed from one of his escorts.  _So you're not that stupid after all_ —

And he snapped his head back to the direction of the girl when he heard the sound of leaves crunching under the feet of someone running— _she_  was running away from him. "Hey!" he screamed while following her, trying to catch up. "Come back here, you!"

Cagalli looked behind her and let out a loud, obnoxious laugh. She expertly dodged branches and roots on her way to escape. The guy was surely held back by these because he didn't know the forest like she did, she knew, and though he was faster than she was, the knowledge she had was an even greater advantage. "Pretty boy!" she called out, panting a little. "You're really right, you know? I lied!"

Athrun, still trying to get past the maze made of wood, could only vaguely hear what she was saying. All that was registering to his head were p _retty boy, right, lied_ —and these words could not string themselves together to let him form a conclusion. That infuriated him, plus the fact that the girl was wearing a brown cloak and was blending in almost perfectly with the forest trees. If it was not for her golden hair standing out, Athrun would have lost her by now.

He tried to speed up his pace and just pushed through whatever was in front of him. "Come back!" he shouted again, his footing not yet going off. "Come back and return what's rightfully mine!"

"No!" she replied in a shriller voice—whether it was because of the exhilaration or because of something else, Cagalli did not have it in her to think too much into knowing. "I lied!"

But she was saying those more for herself than for him, she soon realized as she turned a corner. Those words were haunting her—just a few of the many from that night. There were no tears pooling in her eyes at the memory, but she felt her heart breaking all over again.

He was losing her, but he was still very much determined to catch up. And she was screaming out words over and over again:  _I lied_ ,  _I lied_. And he could not decipher the manic quality her words were displaying. He could see her go round a bend in the road and he ran to that specific spot, but five meters away from it, she emerged from the trees near the corner, on the white horse she was riding earlier. He skidded to a complete halt, almost slipping down onto a patch of moss.

"I told you I lied, didn't I?" she teased then threw a bunch of pebbles at him. He raised his arms up to cover him and she took that opportunity to ride off.

The small rocks grazed parts of his face—or at least his lip where there was blood seeping out of a small cut. He put his hand over his mouth to wipe it away, but he was still left with the taste of metal on his tongue and the bitterness of being bested by someone else—a girl from the forest, no less.

But that girl still had his ring and if he dared come back to Plants without it, his father would most definitely kill him. Groaning, he turned around and sprinted for his horse. He was going to find her, he swore to himself.  _I'm going to find you_.

* * *

After ten minutes, Cagalli was staggering through the roots, trying to catch her breath. Kusanagi was trotting behind her, with a face none too pleased for a horse. When he let out a snort, Cagalli faced him and smiled. "Thank you, Kusanagi. I thought I was a goner back there," she admitted. "Thank you."

Kusanagi merely snorted in response, making Cagalli laugh at her companion's antics. "You're thirsty, aren't you?" She then stopped in her tracks and closed her eyes, focusing on hearing the familiar sound of the only source of water in the forest. She opened her eyes, and said, "It's too our left—but somewhere further up, I think. We've never made it this far from our little tree, have we, Kusanagi?"

She got no response from the horse, but it was fine with her—it was better than going insane from not speaking out. She took the reins of her horse and led them to the sound she heard. It became louder and louder as they approached the river, but when they finally arrived, they found that it wasn't leveled like the part near where they lived—it was a few meters below, and the only way to get there was to walk down the steep slope of the small cliff.

Cagalli bit her lip to think. How were they going to get water? She sighed and told the horse, "Wait here; I'll see if there's another way down."

She carefully treaded the precipice, trying to check for rocks to step on or hold onto while going down. She saw a series of those which looked to be loose, but—she crinkled her nose, she was going to try her luck anyway. Stepping on it, she found trusting her instinct to be a bad decision as she started to fall down. She let out a scream before colliding with the water.

This part of the river, she realized, wasn't as shallow as the one near her tree, and the current below was too rapid for her to swim out like she usually could. She was thrashing her arms in the water, trying to grab onto a rock or a branch or— _anything_. She wanted to cry out, but the water started to fill her lungs and she found it to be weird, the feeling of her lungs burning.

To her right, she saw Kusanagi running, trying to catch up to her. She smiled,  _always the loyal one_. "Go home, Kusanagi!" she croaked faintly. If her horse heard it, she didn't know, couldn't tell, because she felt herself sinking. Was this going to be her demise? She didn't know, couldn't even let herself think. She wanted to remember her father and her friends, but somehow the water was addling her mind, and she wanted to cry, but didn't know if that was possible while underwater.

They say that when you die, you see this infamous flash of white light, see your life pass by your eyes—but that wasn't the case with Cagalli. She felt herself be lifted up slightly and when she opened her eyes, she only saw green, the same color she was cursing earlier.

"Hey, hey—wake up!" the guy said in a panic, but Cagalli didn't want to hear it and instead looked at him, all lost and bemused.

 _You could drown in those eyes_ , she said to herself, and she wanted to laugh at how silly the notion was.

* * *

"Open the gates!" Lacus heard one of her escorts shout. It was followed by the sound of heavy wood creaking and scraping against the paved road. She looked out of the window, trying to ignore the churning feeling of her stomach and instead focused on the lively faces of the children of Plant trying to wave at the carriage with such happy smiles gracing their innocent faces.

She wanted to tell herself that Athrun was safe—she had no doubt in his prowess and capability that he would make it through somehow, but she still feared for him. He didn't, after all, for himself, so she had to for his sake. She shook her head, she was not supposed to think of these things, but her concern for him was genuine—if not as his fiancée, then at least as a close friend of his.

The Zala castle was entering her line of vision and she could only wish that something would happen to stall her from reporting to the Supreme Council—and then explain to the king why his son was not with her. She lifted her hands from her lap to her stomach, where her nerves were certainly gathering.

" _Follow the stars that lead into the quiet night_ ," she sang in an attempt to calm herself. " _Hold me close, so deep in your heart; I will find you—_ "

She paused when the carriage came to a halt. The door was opened by Martin DaCosta, and he held out his arm for her to take, saying, "Lady Clyne, we are at the castle."

She took his arm and stepped out of the carriage, giving him a nod. "Thank you, Martin, and to everyone else who accompanied me."

The escorts on their horses dismounted and gave her a salute. She didn't know how to react, but instead gave them an acknowledging nod as well. "I trust you to keep mum about Athrun's current whereabouts—at least to the king."

They nodded, though looked quite hesitant. She didn't mind; understood where their loyalty was supposed to lie, and went on her way. The Zala castle was foreboding at first sight. Lacus remembered the feeling of going here for the first time as a child.

She had looked up at the four towers standing at the corners of the area in astonishment. She turned to her father and asked why it was so tall—he said it was to oversee things. And when she entered the great hall, she saw portraits of royals lining the walls, vases containing various flowers underneath each.

She was so amazed at how grand everything was. Their estate was big, but this was an even bigger world. She wanted to stay here and add her own touch to the already pretty building. She asked her father how she could possibly do that and he laughed, said she had to marry the prince.

A second after he said that, two boys of her age came running out of an adjoined room. They seemed to be having fun chasing after this green bird—a pet, maybe. One of them had dark blue hair and green eyes while the other had brown hair and purple eyes. And she openly stared at the latter, thinking,  _if he's the prince, I'll marry him!_

Her father took a step and bowed respectfully. "Prince Athrun," he greeted, smiling at the young boy. Both of them looked at the older man. "Is your father around?"

The boy with the blue hair answered, "Yes, he's waiting in his office, Sir Clyne."

Lacus felt her heart breaking for the first time, but still smiled courteously at the prince and his friend. And her father laughed aloud, "You can call me Uncle, Athrun. Except maybe when your father's around."

Athrun gave him an uneasy smile, but nodded all the same. "I shall do so, Uncle."

"Now who is your friend here?"

"My name is Kira Yamato, Sir," the little boy answered respectfully, bowing.

"My name is Lacus Clyne!" Lacus interjected almost comically. She felt her cheeks burn when the two boys turned to face her.  _Silly Lacus! Now he won't like you!_

"Lacus…?" Kira carefully said her name and she smiled brightly in response.

"Yes, I'm Lacus!"

"Lacus?" a voice interjected, the same one from all those years ago, and brought her out of her small trance. "Lacus, are you okay?"

She blinked once, twice, and her vision closed in on the brunette. "Kira!" she greeted, smiling. "Yes, I'm fine. How about you?"

"I've been bored for the past week. I don't like having to cover for Athrun, but I guess it's inevitable as I  _am_  his aide," he sniggered. Your father is in a meeting upstairs with the rest of the council. Is that where you are headed?"

"Yes," she answered. "I am to hand in my report of what King George Allster said during our brief conference."

They climbed up the winding stairs that led to the Supreme Council chamber. They did so slowly, enjoying each other's company and suspending their inevitable separation. She laughed at the little stories he told of what happened while she and Athrun were gone.

And when they reached the doors of the council room, they stopped. He asked, "Where is he anyway?"

"He's somewhere in the forest, chasing after a fool who robbed us."

"Of what?"

"You know." And he gave a fleeting glance at her left hand, found it bare, and looked back at her with a shocked expression. "Thank you for spoiling it for me, though, Kira. Having someone steal it was more of a relief to me than you can imagine."

"But you should've known, Lacus," he explained, ruffling his hair. "Ever since we were young, you should have known the plans for you and Athrun, right?"

She could only sadly smile at him. Sometimes she cursed his obliviousness for her affections. Grimly avoiding the topic, she reached for the knob on the door and unlocked it. "Goodbye, Kira."

"And to you, too, milady."

* * *

"Damn," Athrun muttered under his breath. He had pulled them onto a river bend when the water was calmer. Kusanagi, the girl's horse, was waiting for them there and it would've trampled him if he wasn't carrying the blonde in his arms.

The first thing he did was lay her down on the mud, took her knife from its sheath and threw it into the river—he had to be cautious, after all. Once she was awake, maybe she would attack him, and he wasn't going to risk that. Then he knelt to her side and held her wrist, checking for a pulse.

It was faint, but it was fine—somehow. She wasn't breathing, and he put his hands over her chest and pushed the water out. After the first try, nothing came out, so he pushed harder. Her eyes opened with a start and she sat up, coughing out water. He adjusted his position to support her, one hand on her shoulder and the other patting her back softly.

When she was no longer convulsing, he removed her cloak and his own, stood up and went to a nearby tree to hang it on one branch. He passed by Kusanagi on his way there and he had to put his hands in front of him to tell the horse he meant no harm.  _Really, there's something wrong with this pair and their trust issues_ , he thought as he felt the fabric of their cloaks.

 _He saved me_ , it registered to Cagalli's mind what the blue-haired stranger she stole from just did for her. "You saved me," she voiced out, quivering. "Why did you save me?"

"It was the right thing to do," Athrun answered, though also not sure of what exactly his impetus was when he decided to jump off after the blonde. "You would've died. Quite frankly, I don't want to dirty myself from retrieving something from a corpse."

"Right, let me try that again—I  _hate_  you." She coughed out and wheezed for air, her hand clutching her chest tightly.

And he laughed, looking for flint he could use to start a fire to warm the both of them. When he found a small piece, he took out his knife and struck them together, watching the sparks fly out and hit the pile of small branches he's gathered. Once he got a proper fire, he sat next to it in exhaustion and let out a sigh. "You're quite troublesome, did you know that?"

"Yeah, I've been told," she muttered, crawling to the other side of the bonfire. "But thank you anyway. For saving me. I—I'll lead you back to Plants."

"You will?" he asked, his eyebrows pointed in interest. "That's nice, but really, you don't have to—"

"I will! Let me do that, please. I—" her bottom lip was quivering, and she was trying to keep it still by biting it down. "I was going to die, but you saved me—you could've died, too, so I—"

Athrun saw her sincerity as she shed a few tears from her golden eyes. He had this urge to get up and go to her, hold her, tell her it was okay, but—he couldn't. He didn't have it in him to comfort her. And the truth was that they were still strangers to each other and it wouldn't have been right to do so.

"Hey," he said, trying to lighten up the mood. "Calm down, it's fine. It'll be fine, okay? Trust me—"

"Trust you?" she quickly cut in, a bit mortified. The sun was starting to set somewhere to their right, and Cagalli was more than wary of what he might do when it was dark and she had nothing on her to defend herself. She felt for her knife, her only weapon, but did not find it in its holster. She couldn't trust him—what with his earlier attempts to take her down because he stole something from a small pouch which probably wasn't even valuable. "No."

Athrun just sighed, already used to the peculiarity of this girl. "Right, well,  _you're weird_ , I'll give you that." He stood up to stretch his lethargic limbs. "But we need to make this work, so you and I—"

Cagalli couldn't believe what she was seeing. One moment, he was sitting down opposite her, the next he was standing and basically brandishing off his uniform—a  _red coat_. "You—you're a Zaft soldier."

He quirked a brow. "So what if I am? I'm also the prince of Plants, but I'm sure you don't care about that."

"You're going to kill me!"

"I just saved you a while ago, what the heck!"

"And you're the prince! If you're not going to kill me, then the people searching for you will!" she shouted her thoughts and stood up, stumbling as she tried to gain use of her legs. "Damn this—Kusanagi! Come here!"

The horse sauntered to her and she leaned on its torso, trying to balance herself. She was also shivering, but she couldn't see where he put her cloak, so she decided that she wouldn't deal with him any more than she already did. "Kusanagi, we're going home. We're—"

Athrun ran to her side and gripped her arm. "No, you're not going anywhere. You can hardly stand!"

"I can! I don't need you—just let me go! Let me go!" She was clutching onto the saddle now and kicking the ground, trying to mount on her horse. "Let me go!"

Athrun frowned, looked down in pity at the girl in his arms. He was embracing her now, trying to stabilize her as she hit him, as she tried to escape from his hold. "Hey, calm down, I won't—"

"No, you let me go right now!" she screamed, clawing at him. Cagalli could no longer hold the tears in and was openly weeping in front of him. "Let me go! Kisaka, I swear, let me go—"

Athrun didn't know who she was referring to, but when she fell limp in his arms, he fell down onto the ground with her. The horse neighed loudly, also concerned for his owner, but Athrun kept his eyes fixated on the girl who was so strong yet looked incredibly fragile.

Pulling back the thin strands of hair that stuck onto the tears on her cheeks, he bit his lower lip. Despite himself, he wanted to help this girl, this total stranger. He wanted to protect her, but there was the fact that they were who they were, and he didn't know what to feel about that.

_End of Chapter Two_


	3. Tall Tales For Spring

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heavy Lies The Crown: Chapter Three  
> by tyrantsandcreampuffs
> 
> There's a madness, a madness of the heart,  
> but you knew it, you knew it from the start.
> 
> Song of the Chapter: Tall Tales for Spring by Vanessa Carlton.

Cagalli fluttered her eyes open to the small sparks bursting away from the small pieces of wood. It seemed that the bonfire that guy started earlier was dying, and there was little to do about it. She was leaning on a tree stump, with a pile of leaves underneath her as cushioning. How she got into that position, she didn't know—and at this late a time, her mind was too groggy to care.

A small breeze passed, and Cagalli realized that her cloak had fallen down to her waist, so she tried to reach for it, but then she realized that there was a tepid hold on her left wrist. She looked to her left, almost afraid to find a skeleton or something equally macabre, but it was only that guy.  _The prince_ , she tried to remind herself, but her anger was still getting the better of her.

She just happened to hate him so much for what he had done for her this day.

In the faint light, she could still make out his features. No doubt he was handsome—she chuckled as she recalled her nickname for him:  _pretty boy_. It was only apt, after all. His midnight blue hair blended in with the rest of the night, yet she still could tell where it was. It seemed to have a certain shine that the shadows couldn't imitate. It was persistently long, and it irked her somehow. She couldn't deny it appealed to her, the thought of reaching out to it and feeling it under her own fingers.

 _Such an angular face_ — _it's like he's some statue, so perfectly sculpted…_

She forcefully slammed her right hand down after it threatened to touch the prince's cheekbones. Her eyes widened. _What the hell do you think you're doing, Cagalli?_   _He's a prince!_ she inwardly berated herself, not denying the heat on her cheeks caused by her actions. But what did that have to do with anything; she tried to reason with herself. She was, after all, a princess.

In exile, she had to remind herself. The feeling brought by the negligence of her own people toward her came back and she felt the familiar melancholy she's experienced many times before.

 _Except, not alone…_  She was still looking at the guy. His eyes were shut, so she couldn't see those green eyes which mesmerized her while she was drowning. She was not ashamed to admit that she found his face to be very attractive, but there was still something about him she couldn't shake off. It was her suspicion that he would, at any time, somehow betray the small trust she gave him.

Cagalli frowned at her own admission. She trusted him—regardless of how minute that may be, she trusted him. Lack of this kind of intimacy with anyone for five years…it was no surprise that she had to be so defensive.

She didn't remember if she promised him anything during the evening. Did she tell him she'd bring him back to Plants? She really couldn't remember most of their conversation. In her mind was only a grainy memory of her calling for Kusanagi and then collapsing.

" _You're quite troublesome, did you know that?"_

" _I—I'll lead you back to Plants."_

" _You will?"_ She could remember how his eyebrows had risen up in surprise, as if he couldn't accept such an offer from her. _"That's nice, but really, you don't have to—"_

" _I will! Let me do that, please. I—I was going to die, but you saved me—you could've died, too, so I—"_

She was adamant, she could tell as the memory played itself in her mind.  _Damn it_ , she cursed. She could leave now, make her escape to her little tree back at the heart of the forest with Kusanagi—where was that horse anyway?

Cagalli temporarily diverted her eyes from that guy to search for her horse. She found him lying down a few meters away, on a small bed of grass and weed. He was resting—a much deserved rest after he chased her at the same pace of the river current. They weren't too far away from the body of water that threatened to crush her, but it was much stiller this time at night.

 _Everyone else seems to be at peace here—the trees, the water, the animals, even this guy._  Cagalli couldn't help but envy how they were oblivious to her struggle.

 _I could run away now. Leave him be so that I'm no longer responsible for him. Kusanagi would find his way back like he always did. If the prince doesn't get to Plants, there's no doubt that his people would search for him. They may find him all hungry and bruised, but at least he'd be safe under their care_. No one else probably knew the harshness of the forest like she did—someone as pampered as he showed himself to be wouldn't survive out here for so long.

And as Cagalli herself questioned her own sanity, she wasn't entirely sure if he'd survive her own hands.

She faced him again, and her eyes softened at the sleeping prince. He looked too tranquil to be disturbed. Her heart ached when she pried off the fingers wrapping around her wrist. His hand was so large compared to hers and the pads of his fingers were callused, probably from the years of training whatever weapons he was versed in.

She looked at her own. Then again, hers weren't as smooth and soft as they were when she was younger.

The flames crackled once, twice, bringing her out of her short reverie. The same breeze made its way back to her and she shivered under its cool touch. The light was getting fainter and fainter, and she was afraid that soon she'll be immovable once the darkness completely engulfs her. She could only think of two things to do: run away before his guards could come to get her or kill him now before he kills her.

At the moment, Cagalli didn't have the heart to be so cynical.  _Really, must it always have to go this way?_

Cagalli knew he kept a small dagger somewhere—where, she didn't know. Kisaka used to keep his in a holster near his left boot, but she didn't know if the prince had his there, too. And even if he did, she didn't think she'd be able to retrieve it without rousing him. The only weapon she was sure she had on him was a sword which was in its sheath on his left.

With her cloak wrapped around her, she stealthily attempted to reach for the hilt of his sword. If she were to make a move so quickly, the leaves under her would surely rustle and wake him up—which was the least thing she wanted right now.

He was snoring ever so softly, and Cagalli could not hide the small affection held in her eyes as she tilted her face to check if he was awake. Again, she shook her head, reprimanding herself.  _This isn't the time to be thinking about how silly he looks, damn it._

And suddenly, Cagalli realized the flaw in her plan: even if she was able to reach the hilt of his sword, she wouldn't be able to extend her arm enough to completely draw it out. She cautiously shifted her position such that she was kneeling. With one limb hovering just over his stomach, Cagalli found herself multitasking balancing on one knee, unsheathing his sword, and praying to Haumea that he wouldn't wake up.

She had drawn out almost half of his sword when he started to stir. The fire crackled again and Athrun, feeling something was wrong, opened his eyes. He found himself staring at the blonde who was partially straddled on him. Amber eyes met his in surprise.

"What are you doing?" he half-said, half-yawned.

"I…" Cagalli found herself at a loss for words. He just _had_  to open his eyes, and it was like she lost her impetus to kill him as well. "I…"

"You—?" Athrun tried to follow, squinting his eyes to trace the outline of her body.  _Funny_ , he thought,  _she didn't look this small a while ago…_  He was looking at her eyes, those which seemed to belong with the rest of the stars above them, and then traced down to her small, pointed nose, and then to open lips struggling to find something to say.

"Hey," he continued, almost stifling a chuckle at her mortified expression. "What's wrong—" he stopped when he saw her outstretched arm, the one holding his side—or specifically, the hilt of his already half-exposed sword.

Not wanting to hear anything more from him, she quickly took his sword out and pushed him back by kicking his stomach. Athrun groaned slightly at the force of the impact and clutched the part she had just hit. He was sitting upright and his back was leaning closer to the tree stump with the rough edges scratching at the fine fabric of his top.

Cagalli outstretched her arm such that the sword she was holding was pointed at his throat. There was a dangerous spark in her eyes, but it wasn't the ferocity she displayed when Athtun first saw her—it contained something more, mixed with just enough disillusionment. He eyed her cautiously, not wanting to agitate her further.

 _This girl_ , Athrun thought,  _had serious issues_   _—and that was already putting it nicely_.

"So you have me here," Athrun started, avoiding a yawn passing through his lips. "What exactly are you going to do?"

"I…don't have…any intention…to kill you," Cagalli rambled, her breath hitching between every word spoken. "But  _you_ …you're going to…kill  _me_."

"Then go and stab me," Athrun replied calmly albeit the cool metal shaking in front of his throat. He winced and continued, "I promise I won't hurt you—"

"You can't promise me—"

"If I had any plans to do that, then I wouldn't have—"

"Saved me? People do that all the time and when you think—"

"Not everyone has an ulterior motive—"

"You never know! Besides, I don't know you—"

"And you don't believe in strangers—"

"It's not that, damn it!" Cagalli swore, her hold on his sword tightening. "You're the prince of your nation; you were raised to be—" she paused to think of how she herself grew up to be. She knew she had no right to throw comparisons like that around, not when they grew up in different worlds.

"To be?" Athrun questioned. "What exactly would you know about my upbringing when you live here in the forest?"

"Don't interrupt me while I'm speaking!" she bellowed, stomping her feet on the ground. "You are in no position to tell me what to do!"

They spent the next few minutes trying to catch their breath, Cagalli never once lowering her stolen weapon. Athrun attempted to open his mouth to speak, but his words were all tangled in his mind, as if it knew that nothing he said could change her mind.

He opened his mouth to try again, but she beat him to breaking the silence first.

"I'm sure you have someone who's waiting for you to come home."

"And so do you. Wherever your home is," he answered. "You and I are no different."

She lowered her head, her fringes covering her eyes. What he said took her aback—was there really someone waiting for her?  _Yes,_ there was. A whole kingdom was waiting for her.

"You have to understand why I don't want to hurt you."

"I…I don't."

"Listen to me," Athrun commanded gently. "Hey, I won't hurt you—I've told you that again and again. I just…want to help you. It's so weird; I don't know you, but I have this strong urge to just...let me help you." His voice was almost pleading.

"You…I…" Cagalli was struggling to find something to reply to him. His sincerity reached her ears, and she desperately wanted to believe him, believe someone again for the first time. "You're lying—"

"I'm not. What do you want me to do to prove to you that I'm telling the truth?" When she didn't reply, he tried again, " _I'll protect you_."

"With what?" Her voice was shaking, showing her own fear. "I have your sword! I'm your only way out of this forest! _You_  are at  _my_  mercy! How could you possibly do that to me when you've nothing on you?"

He didn't bother to answer. Athrun closed his eyes, preparing himself for whatever her next move may be. He didn't know what he was thinking when he asked her that, but then again, they were no different from each other. He heard her step back, perhaps to ready her swing towards his neck. He wasn't aware of how long he has been holding his breath for, but the hit he expected never came.

He opened his eyes to find only darkness. The fire he started was completely out, and the moon didn't bother to come out to witness such a tragedy. He couldn't see the girl, but he still felt her presence somewhere near him. He would've called out for her had it not been for the sound of his sword clanking on rocks and the crunching of leaves under someone else's fallen weight.

"I…I'm sorry," he heard her finally croak. "I didn't know what I was thinking."

"It's fine," he replied, massaging his strained neck.

"No, it's not."

And they both knew she was telling the truth.

* * *

"Has my son kept you waiting long, Lacus?"

Lacus put down her teacup on its matching saucer. She idly glanced at the rose pattern intricately printed onto the cup, praising the talent of whoever made it. And given that she was currently in the household of the Joules, one of the most powerful noble families in the Plant kingdom, she was sure that they did not waste any money looking for the best possible teaware there was.

"No, not really, Lady Joule," she responded, smiling gracefully at the matriarch entering the parlor through grand oak doors. "I'm very much willing to wait as I was the one to impose so early in the morning."

Ezalia pursed her lips as she took a seat on the futon in front of Lacus. She was loosely wearing a dressing gown over a white peignoir—both articles of clothing definitely expensive to suit the taste of the refined white-haired woman. "No, no, Lacus, my dear, you know you are always welcome here. Besides, the sun will be up in a while now."

Lacus smiled politely. "Yet my arrival need not have awoken you as it is your son I am after today."

"Always the perfect princess your father raised you to be," Ezalia commented, taking a biscuit from the silver tray and carefully plopping it into her mouth. "I often find myself wishing Yzak had found a better prospect for a wife."

"Is there something wrong with Shiho, Lady Joule?"

"Heavens no! She's a very lovely woman and I have no doubt in her capabilities in managing the estate in the future," Ezalia said with a haughty yet agile laugh. "She's well-bred. It's no surprise since she came from the house of Hahnenfuss."

Then, she sighed, "I still can't convince her to act more like a lady. She refuses to wear dresses in public and insists on spending her time training in that pigsty with Yzak and Dearka!"

Lacus giggled. "Perhaps that's why Yzak is very much taken with her. He likes the break from his norm, from all the class and expectations of nobles."

"Are you insulting how I brought up my dear Yzak, Lacus?"

"I'm merely saying that Shiho's pragmatic personality intrigues him so." Lacus picked up her teacup and took another sip. "And, Lady Joule, aren't you happy that he has finally shown interest in the opposite gender?"

"What is that supposed to mean!" A voice boomed from the doorway, an indignant stomp on the floor resounding in the room. "Mother! Lacus! How dare you!"

Both ladies turned their heads to the direction of the voice. They found Yzak standing stiffly in plain trousers—tailor-made, yet crumpled from sleep. He was frowning; his blue eyes were wide open with their usual ire.

"Yzak," Ezalia smirked. "Is there such a need for your booming this early in the morning? It's barely dawn."

"And tell me, Mother, is there a need for discussing my sexuality at this time, too?" he answered defensively, crossing his arms in front of him. "Lacus, I can't believe you're in this!"

Lacus settled her teacup back down. "Yzak, please calm down. Your mother and I were just talking about Shiho. How is she?"

"She's fine," he grumbled, muttering a few more things under his breath.

"Is she still in October then? Or is she back here in Aprilius?"

"She's staying in October for another week. It said so in the message she sent. She's still in that damned giant library—"

"Yzak Joule, watch your language."

"Sorry, Mother," Yzak gritted through his teeth. He took a step forward and took a seat beside his mother, his posture stiff and his face showing nothing but his annoyance. "Now, Lacus, I believe you requested for me?"

"Ah, yes," Lacus started, still smiling. "Yzak, I wanted to ask a favor of you. To be precise, Athrun asked me to ask you for a favor: to fetch him. Of course, this favor is rather circumstantial—"

"Do I look like a damn chauffeur to Zala?"

"Yzak!" Ezalia scolded again.

Ignoring the protest of his own mother, Yzak continued, "What does he want me to do this time?"

"You see, when we were going back to Aprilius from Copernicus through the common trade route, we were kind of ambushed—"

"Kind of?"

"The person only took Athrun's pouch. It had—"

"His mother's ring?"

"Yzak, stop interrupting Lacus."

"Mother, now is  _not_  the time."

Lacus could only laugh bemusedly at the mother and son pair. They have always been close and it was not rare for them to argue like this in front of a guess. She coughed lightly and continued, "Yes. I don't think that person was part of a group. And Athrun, being himself, chased after the thief on his own."

"That fool!" Yzak shouted indignantly, pounding his fist on the table. The porcelain cups rattled and tea spilled over Ezalia's cup. "The forest is dangerous! Who knows what could be in there—"

"Oh, Yzak, please tell me you don't believe in those petty ghost stories!"

"Mother, not now!"

"Athrun originally wanted for you and the others to come after him in three days' time, however, as I am off to Junius to join the celebration of their harvest festival, I would not be able to make this request by then," Lacus finished explaining, grimacing at the glare Ezalia was giving Yzak.

"Does His Excellency know of his whereabouts?" Yzak inquired, not daring to face his mother.

"I am not sure," Lacus answered uneasily. "I had hoped that the escorts with us would not tell the king of what his son has done."

"I doubt Patrick's unaware of where his son is now," Ezalia supplied for Lacus. "He had a messenger summon Athrun during one of the Supreme Council meetings; he had forgotten that Athrun escorted Lacus to the Alliance."

Lacus winced. "It's undeniable that the King is very busy handling the affairs of the kingdom."

"He can take care of a whole kingdom, but he neglects his own son?" Yzak scoffed. "What a pathetic excuse for a father."

"Yzak, may I remind you that speaking of the king in the manner that you just did is punishable by law. And here, you're in the presence of a member of the Supreme Council," Ezalia reprimanded sternly.

"I was making a comment on his paternal capabilities, not on his kingship," Yzak said, shrugging his shoulders. "Anyway, Lacus, when am I to head out?"

"If he is not back in the castle by tomorrow, then you shall go. You may ask Martin DaCosta to guide you to where we got separated," Lacus paused to take a deep breath. "I feel guilty for letting Athrun go like that."

"Well, you know how he is," Yzak offered with a grimace. "If anything, Zala's persistent. He'll go through everything just to get what he wants done. Imagine all the paper work he faces every other day because he  _wants_  to."

"It's because Athrun wants to help his kingdom in that way. He switches from his duties to Zaft and to the rest of Plant every day—imagine the stress that poor boy undergoes. Working in an office stacked with papers and then having to train all those soldiers! I bet you can't pull that off, Yzak," Ezalia taunted with a challenging smirk.

"He's just as duty-oriented as I am, Mother. It's just that his rank is higher, so he has more on his plate than his stomach can handle—"

"Oh, speaking of his stomach, I heard from Dearka that he has quite the body! Oh, Lacus, dear, how lucky of you to be engaged to a man like him—"

"Mother!"

* * *

Cagalli blushed, diverting her attention to the oh-so fascinating small rock right beside her left foot. With a grimace on her lips, she picked the rock up and threw it at the midnight blue-haired prince.

"Hey! I thought  _you_  wanted this," Athrun cried, crossing his arms in front of him. "Princess, don't tell me you're backing out now."

"Don't call me that!" Cagalli barked back, annoyed. For a second, she had thought he had seriously seen through her and recognized her somehow, but then his condescending tone gave her a hint that he was blatantly calling her such to mock her. "And I am not backing out! It's just that I…I…I hate you, damn it!"

Athrun smirked. "Then why don't you face me? You're the one who asked me to take off my shirt."

At the mention of her earlier demand, Cagalli ducked down again to cover the red tint of her face. She could not believe the nerve of this guy!  _And here I thought we were making progress_ , she told herself,  _now I'm just making a big show of him being naked—half-naked. Still, he's undressed!_

When they woke up that morning, this time quite a distance from each other, they established a truce—it was filled with mostly her apologizing for what she did to him and him trying to convince her that he wasn't going to do anything to her. She was on the brink of tears yet again when he decided to go up and give her the most awkward hug she had ever received.

It was safe to say that Kusanagi was not amused.

They had been trekking for two hours when Cagalli called for a break. She sat under the shade of a giant tree and as Athrun was walking to sit beside her, she saw that there was a portion on the side of his red coat uniform which was a shade darker than the rest.

She jumped up from her comfortable position and squealed as she pointed to his side, "Did I do that! Oh, Haumea, I did! No! I'm so sorry! Let me fix it—please, it's the least I can do!"

 _It was something in those lines_ , Athrun recollected,  _except, perhaps, with less enthusiasm and a moderate threat to punch me if I didn't let her seal the wound she immediately took responsibility of._

"How long has it been bleeding? Why didn't you tell me of this, you idiot!" she whined, rummaging through an old knapsack tied to her horse. When she got a hold of a long piece of cloth, she took it out and examined it. "This should do—urgh! Why did you not tell me that you were injured?"

"Because," Athrun explained, trying to not be confused by the concern in her voice and the glare she was giving him. "I didn't want to bother you any more than I have to."

"What are you talking about? I'm the one who owes you!"

"So we keep owing each other—at this rate, it won't get us anywhere," he calculated for her, giving a loud laugh. "What exactly are we going to do about this?"

"Take off your shirt," Cagalli said quickly, still glaring at him.

"Excuse me?"

"Don't make me repeat myself!" she growled, almost throwing the long piece of cloth at him. "Now do as I say or else I'll leave you to bleed to death from your wound."

 _What an ultimatum_ , Athrun thought, looking amusedly at the infuriated blonde. The confident grin on his face faltered when she turned around and trudged away from him. With her golden hair swinging behind her and her shoulders hunched in a way Mana would definitely reprimand her for, Cagalli walked towards a different tree, putting a good distance between her and the boy riling her up.

Athrun snickered and took this opportunity to further test her patience with him. After unfastening the last of his buttons and throwing his coat over one shoulder, he examined the wound on his side. It wasn't that deep, but he still could feel some pain coming from it. What he feared most right now was getting an infection from the open cut—leaving him dead and her guilty.

He walked up to her, his gait somewhat limping yet postured properly. "Hey," he called, trying to get her attention. "So are you going to be the one to wrap that thing around me or am I going to do it by myself?"

Hearing the guy's voice, Cagalli's ears perked up. Still seething, she looked up at him and screamed, "No! I won't let you—" and she stopped, her eyes slowly trailing down to see his exposed torso glistening with sweat and the left side of it caked with dried blood.

"—what do you think you're doing?" Cagalli shrieked, more for herself than for him. She looked somewhere else— _anywhere_ , so long as it was away from his body.

"Hey! I thought  _you_  wanted this. Princess, don't tell me you're backing out now."

"Don't call me that! And I am not backing out! It's just that I…I…I hate you, damn it!"

"Then why don't you face me? You're the one who asked me to take off my shirt."

And that brought them to where they were currently in. Cagalli was still trying to avoid eye contact with Athrun and he was just entertained over the fact that she was nervous because of a guy's body.

"You're such a prude," he sourly commented, sitting down beside her. He felt a small pain coming from bending his torso like he did, but he brushed it off—he had felt worse, after all. That and he was a soldier taught to tolerate extremes farther than a small cut from a sword. "Come on, did you really expect that someone wouldn't be injured when you unsheathe a sword at close proximity with another person?"

"I wasn't expecting you to wake up!" she answered defensively, still shutting her eyes.

"Just give me the cloth; I'll tie it myself," Athrun sighed, defeated. "If I prolong exposure like this, it'll get worse, wouldn't it? Just give it to me." He kneeled beside her and pulled at the cloth she was firmly grasping in her frail hands. When she wouldn't let go, he tugged even harder with a straight line forming on his lips.

"Give it to me," he demanded, pulling at the cloth.

"No!" she shouted back defiantly, also trying to keep a hand on the cloth. "I won't let you do that!"

"Well, you're not doing it so obviously I have to!"

"If you just put on your damn coat, I would!"

"There'd be no point anymore if I did!"

"Don't shout at me!"

"Then don't close your eyes on me either!"

"That's not a fair comparison!"

"You are unbelievable!" Athrun gave up on arguing with the girl and threw his hands up onto his hair. He let out an exasperated huff of breath before thinking of an approach to this girl. He was usually so calm and reserved, but her energy was too influential and he started to defy his expectations for himself with her.  _No, Athrun, be proper_ , he had to remind himself so often.  _Being away from Plant does not change the fact that you are the crown prince and that you have certain things to uphold_.

He closed his eyes, and breathed in and out until he regained his composure. In his third round of deep breathing, he felt warm hands slide down to the side of his stomach and his breath hitched, his eyes flew wide open, and he found himself looking at a blushing blonde sitting in front of him. She stopped and retracted her hands to her lap and looked down.

"Are you sure you want to do this for me?" Athrun tested, blinking his eyes at the bizarre girl.

"Yes," Cagalli replied. "I'm sure. Just…close your eyes, please."

"Why should I?"

"Because I don't like them, that's why!" she whined, wanting to punch his face repeatedly until he had no ability to open his eyes, but he was a prince, and laying a hand on him in such a way was against their law or something as bad as that.

Athrun frowned and did not make any witty retort at her insult. She had basically insulted his mother, who he got his eyes from. He followed her orders and closed his eyes; he didn't need another reminder of who he was.

"Right," Cagalli said uneasily. "Tell me if it's too tight, alright?"`

And not helping himself, he grinned. With a cough, he imitated her voice. "Please be gentle with me—ah! Okay, okay, I'll shut up!"

* * *

After an hour and a half of riding on the back of her horse, Athrun felt tired. His injury notwithstanding, he, for some reason, was compelled to just go down and tell her that he wanted to rest, but the girl was adamant on bringing him back to Plant as fast as she humanly could.

His hold on her hip loosened and he said, "Hey. Could we walk from here?"

Cagalli felt his breath tickle his ear and through her panic, she pulled too strongly at Kusanagi's reins. The horse stopped so fast that the guy behind her was also propelled forward, causing him to hang onto her stomach with one arm—whether it was to cushion him if ever he fell or to avoid having her fall, she couldn't tell.

She turned around, her face scarlet. "S-sorry, what did you say?"

He gave her a small smile. "I asked if we could walk from here. That's the castle up there—do you see it?"

Cagalli looked up ahead and saw the castle he was pointing to. It was a dull shade of gray against the palette of orange, red, and purple hues from the sunset. From here, the highest tower seemed to stand more than a hundred feet, and it would've intimidated her had it not been for the fact that the forest still had a more ominous feel.

 _But still, it was quite admirable,_  Cagalli praised, looking at the tall structure the Plant royal family lived in.  _It's probably not as cozy as the one in Orb, but it still looks habitable enough_. It was the same castle she remembered touring on a friendly visit to Aprilius City.

She went there when she was around ten. She was with her father to directly offer condolences to the king of Plant for the tragic fire in Junius City, the last attack from the The Alliance before the war ended. A hundred civilians died in their quiet homes—and one of the casualties was the beloved queen—

She blinked, finding a pair of large hands in front her eyes. The guy was waving it, as if to call her attention.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked. "Or are you spacing out on me again?"

"Sorry," she mumbled. She had not even noticed that he was already standing on the ground. She positioned herself to dismount Kusanagi when she felt his hands slip to her waist and lift her up and carry her down to the ground.

She frowned disdainfully, and Athrun, noticing it, could only ask, "What did I do wrong?"

"Do I look helpless to you?" she asked, annoyed. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her lips formed a straight line. "I'm not a damsel in distress, if you've well damned notice."

Athrun maintained his calm façade, his mirth twinkling in his emerald eyes. "But now that we're in Plant territory—or at least a mile or so away. Actually regardless of where a royal is, he or she should always act his or her part."

Cagalli could have laughed at the irony of his thought. They had started walking at a leisurely pace, as if they were admiring the forest instead of trying to get out of it. Kusanagi was following behind, not so happy at being so far away from where they usually stay.

"But then," Athrun continued with a slight crease on his forehead. "I have withheld myself from doing so because you've not given me much opportunity to show my supposedly proper breeding. I know I've been aggressive and such, but will you give me this chance to redeem myself as the future sovereign of the land we're currently on?"

Cagalli raised a brow at his eloquence. She was impressed, but still, the mildly pompous expression he held didn't match him that much. "What's with the sudden change of attitude, Your Highness?" she scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

Athrun did not skip a beat in answering, "It's to hopefully change your opinion of me in the case we meet again in the future. Contrary to what the political advisers say, the opinion of one citizen matters. So, have I done well so far?"

Cagalli could not help the smile forming on her lips. She hadn't done so in a long time, and it felt somewhat wrong. There was also another feeling stirring at the depths of her stomach—one she could not put a name on, but there was definitely something there.

"Yes," she grudgingly admitted. "But expatiating yourself further would be futile. I doubt we'll meet again."

Athrun frowned dismally. That thought didn't suit with him well, and it scared him how he was already attached to the blonde.  _I don't even know her name!_  he mentally panicked—such was her effect on him.

They spent the next ten minutes in silence, deep in thought. Neither knew what to say and they both had unconsciously slowed down, prolonging their inevitable separation. Cagalli pursed her lips and let out a weak sigh. She knew she wasn't meant to feel like this—she didn't know his name, so the prince was only another stranger to her, regardless of his rank.

She was looking morosely at the ground to avoid his gaze.  _Yeah, so much for being a brave lioness, Cagalli_ , she scolded herself with a frown.  _Not that it matters anyway—you're going to leave him soon_.

She just didn't expect soon to be one minute away.

She was still walking when he grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Hey—!" she cried, surprised. "What's  _your_ problem?"

"You were going to fall if you took another step," Athrun explained with a small shrug. He pointed to the spot behind her. "It's elevated, you see. We're here."

Cagalli whirled around—he wasn't lying after all. It was the last few minutes of sunset and they had caught it just in time to see the sun sink into the sea.  _Wow_ , she couldn't help but admire.  _The sunset sure is more lovely here than in the forest_.

"You shouldn't say those things, you know," Athrun suddenly spoke up—shocking the both of them.  _Damn_ , he cursed, _why did I have to say that?_  It was the line he was holding in for the past ten minutes and he saw her amber eyes look up at him in confusion.

"What did I say?" the girl asked, her contralto voice reverberating between them.

"Ah, I mean the one you said earlier. Err, you said we wouldn't meet again," he tried to explain not so smoothly.  _Get your act together, Athrun!_  "You know that story about those red strings tying people together? Like, if it's fated or destined or something for their paths to cross, it just will—?"

"You're terrible at explaining these things," Cagalli pointed out, trying to stifle a laugh. "But I get it. Do you really think we're meant to be together?"

At this, Athrun's eyes widened, and so did Cagalli's a second after she realized what she had just implied. "No, no! I meant—err, never mind."

They were staring at each other, blushing. There was enough light from the moon to illuminate the color and they ended up laughing at the silliness.

"Anyway," Cagalli started. "This is your stop, isn't it? I'll go now—" she turned around again to Kusanagi when his hand was on her arm again.

"Could you make it on your own? It's dark and dangerous. I know you think the forest is your domain or something like that, but please consider staying with me here in Plant," he said, trying to look at her straight in the eye albeit how wary he was of himself. "Please?"

"Stay…in Plant…with you?" Cagalli found herself rambling.

"Even if it's just for tonight!" Athrun offered again.  _Shut up, Athrun, you are not helping!_  "I don't want to be guilty if anything happened to you just because I let you go out on your own in the night."

 _So it's just his conscience,_  Cagalli thought sadly. She shook her head. "I don't belong in Plant. Or anywhere, actually—except for the forest. And won't they be suspicious if you suddenly brought a girl into your castle just like that?" She tried to give him a smile. "I'll be fine, um…"

"Athrun," he said, returning her smile with as much sincerity he could muster. "My name's Athrun Zala."

Cagalli's smile faltered and her mouth hung open. "I told you not to tell me your name!" she cried, but she still couldn't force down the smile on her face. "I guess it's only fair if I told you mine, then."

"I'm Cagalli. Cagalli Yula—" and she stopped, forgetting that he couldn't know about who she really was. "You can call me Cagalli."

"Well, Cagalli," he tried to test her name, and it seemed to roll of his tongue quite nicely. "Cagalli, I insist on having you as my guest."

"Athrun," she answered, finding his name to be fitting on him. "I'd rather not impose, really. I—let's just say I don't want our favors to each other to continue."

Nodding once, he accepted the fact that it was her pride that kept her from staying with him. He realized that he was still holding her arm, and that his hand had slid down to her wrist while they were talking. Pulling away, he mumbled a quick apology and ducked his head down.

Cagalli nodded, too, and turned around. Kusanagi neighed, impatient for his owner to come. When she put her hand in one pocket, she pivoted her heel on the ground and called out, "Athrun! Wait, I—"

Athrun, who was just about to slide down the gentle slope of the small hill, turned around and raised a skeptic brow, his heart pounding wildly in his chest. "You?"

Cagalli pulled out the pouch from her pocket and tossed it to him. He caught it deftly, a bit disappointed that she didn't change her mind about staying. "You're giving this back to me? But— _why_?"

"You said you wouldn't leave me until I gave this back to you. Funny, I don't even know what's inside."

He walked up to her and opened the pouch. He dug for the small ring and when he finally caught it, he brought it out and showed it to her. "This is why I had to run after you," he admitted with a laugh.

"And here I thought that the only way you could get a girl was to chase her into a forest," Cagalli joked, ignoring the slight pang in her chest. "I should've known that someone like you would be already on their way to getting married or something. How old are you, exactly?"

"Eighteen. You?"

"Seventeen," she answered nonchalantly. She further inspected the ring in his hand and saw that it was beautifully crafted with the metal band having small gentle curves deviate from the center where a ruby was held in place. "This is for the pink-haired girl in the carriage, isn't it?"

When he nodded, she laughed. "Well, thank Haumea you came after it. I wouldn't have had a use for it anyway. I thought it was food; I'm not really the jewelry kind of person," she said. When her laughter ceased, she continued, "Right. I better be on my way then."

"Wait!" Athrun called out again. He caught her hand and took it in his, carefully putting on the ring on one of her fingers. When he saw what he had done, he looked away shyly.

Cagalli's eyes were wide in shock.  _Did he just…?_  She put her hand up to her face to look at the ring. It was very pretty, but it just wasn't hers. "Athrun, this is no way to give a girl a ring! Your fiancée would be displeased."

But Athrun hadn't heard a word she said. He was intently staring at the ring on Cagalli's hand and saw how it became her, how it was perfect for her—more than it could fit Lacus. He wanted to smack his head at the stupidity of his actions, but refrained from doing so, keeping his dignity intact while with her. "Right, I'm sorry, I—"

When Cagalli handed the ring back to him, another voice cut through the night air. "Athrun! Athrun is that you?"

 _That voice—it couldn't be—_ Cagalli flinched and decided that it was best for her to take her leave at that moment. Saying a quick apology to Athrun, she mounted Kusanagi and stirred away; riding at full-speed, and not once looking back.

* * *

It was a little after dusk, and a lone figure was passing through dark alleyways and the occasional crowded streets to get to his destination. Jumping over small fences and gently pushing through crowds of people, this guy seemed to be very set to make his way out. This person's cloak trailed behind him, the force of his abrupt movements pulling and pushing at the stretched wool.

He had just been from the center of the city, specifically at the town square where people had gathered to form a fighting crowd against the poor messenger of the king and the other escorts. Swords and shields were raised, but the people, testing their limits again, still went on with protesting loudly.

The guy shuddered and for a moment, lost his footing while he was distracted over the memory of fallen heads and innocent bloodshed all over the brick road children usually played on. The people felt even more compelled to fight against the soldiers because of what they just did to their fellow people, but the soldiers, being repeatedly trained and conditioned for cases such as this, continued with the slaughter.

He noticed the look on one of the soldier's face—how he had been so horrified when he raised his sword over his head and stabbed it at the man lying down on the floor. It was the king against the people, and the people had no willpower to fight against the army; the army of Orb didn't have it in them to harm the many civilians. They were all so reluctant to do anything, and that had been the case for the past five years.

And then there were those The Alliance bastards who acted like kings and treated everyone else like dust. They made rounds with a few escorts from the Orb military, knocking on different houses to inspect for suspicious activity, they claimed to be said by the king himself. The people had no choice as not cooperating could result in their assault, looting, and worse, killing them.

Rounding a final corner, the person found himself on a main street—lined with different shops adjoined to houses. Except they were all closed so early, probably for fear that the army would decide to march in at any time—that, or the people were out participating in the riot.

He kept on running and finally stopped in front of a building that looked dilapidated and abandoned—but the man knew that it wasn't really so. He knocked once, twice, and then after a pause, thrice.

"Who is it?" a voice whispered from the other side.

" _Miri_ , let me in," he replied, losing patience and knocking another time. The door creaked open in front of him and he found himself looking at the brunette holding a small candle in her hand. Seeing her, he immediately took her in his arms, massaging circles onto her back. He released her and stepped into the house, locking the door behind him quietly.

The guy took her hand and they walked through the hallway with only the small light guiding them. "How is it out there?" Miriallia, nicknamed Miri, asked nervously, holding his hand. "I couldn't see much through the window upstairs, but I saw people and they were—" her voice wavered. "—I just don't want anyone to be hurt, Tolle."

Tolle smiled reassuringly at the worried brunette. He didn't know if she was able to see it through the darkness, but it was there all the same. He squeezed her hand once and let go when they arrived at the small dining room. The faces of the people waiting for them lighted up. "Big brother Tolle, you're back!"

Tolle grinned at the children. "Yes, I'm back. Have you eaten?"

One of the children took his hand and led him to the table. There was a basket with a few more pieces of stale bread and cups of water. It was inadequate for children like them to be eating so meagerly like this, but they had no choice—rations were hard to come by these days. Tolle gave a loud sigh. He didn't pity these children; he empathized with them. After all, he grew up in the very same orphanage.

He heard a woman's voice cut through his thoughts and he turned around and found a purple-haired woman aiding an older male. He beamed, "Aunt Caridad, Reverend Malchio—I made it back."

"Yes, you did," Caridad returned his smile and took a seat on one of the chairs around the table. "How is it out there, Tolle? The children haven't been out for a week out of fear that the soldiers will come," she stated solemnly, her tone bordering melancholy.

"Bad, actually. There were a few casualties at Heliopolis Square. It was full actually. I think they know."

The children looked at the brown-haired boy they considered their brother. He had just given a vague answer, and none of their innocent minds could process what could possibly be known by  _them_ —whoever  _they_  were. They turned to Caridad, the one who mostly took care of them, and saw that there was a frown forming on her old but still beautiful face.

"Are the soldiers leaving tomorrow?" she asked with pursed lips.

"Yes, it's happening next week," he said, sitting down on another chair. Miriallia followed and sat beside him, still clutching his elbow. "They started to notice on the third year, so this is the second mass rally, isn't it?"

Miriallia nodded in response. "They're holding their breath, aren't they?"

"It's not unexpected," Reverend Malchio stood up, his cane supporting his weight. Caridad stood up and tried to convince him to sit back down, but the priest would not have it. "It's what the people want to believe. Hope isn't that hard to find after all."

Everyone smiled. It was rare for him to speak up like this when all of them were gathered together, but when he did, they knew that what Reverend Malchio had to say was something worth noting.

"Yeah," Miriallia added. "It's all we have, isn't it?"

A knock echoed throughout the small space and they all faced toward the door at the end of the hallway. Everyone paused in their merriment and the children started to cower, hiding behind the table. Caridad went to them and shushed the children, telling them there was nothing to worry about.

Miriallia looked up at Tolle. "You weren't followed, were you?"

"No, I took so many detours just to avoid anyone who might've seen me," he admitted, though also a bit unsure. "I'll go get it—" Tolle took a step forward and Miriallia took his elbow with her hand and pulled him back.

"It's probably just Sai.  _I_ 'll get it," she offered.

"Miri, I'm being a gentleman here!"

"No, you're being a pain in the ass!"

Tolle sighed, knowing his overly feminist girlfriend of one year was most likely going to file this under an insult to her gender. He raised his hands up in defeat. "Fine, fine," he said, grinning. "But if it's a big bad wolf at the door, don't come running to me."

Miriallia stuck her tongue out childishly. "I'll always come running to you, Tolle." With a chaste kiss on his cheek, Miriallia ran to get the door. The children, disregarding their anxiety, started to snicker at the display of the couple.

She opened the door and found Sai tired, clutching his left arm and his glasses cracked. She gasped at the sight of him bloodied and bruised. "Sai, what happened?" she cried out, pulling him into the house and locking the door. "What happened?" she asked again, alarmed.

Hearing her shout, Tolle and the other children ran up to Miriallia and Sai. When they also saw the state of their other big brother in the sparse light, they started to murmur to one another, mostly asking what happened. One of the little girls started to cry and Caridad followed, calming the small girl. When she also caught a glimpse of Sai's battered body, she exclaimed, "Sai! Oh my, Sai, let's get that fixed first—"

Sai put his good arm up to stop her. He didn't speak, but he rushed up the stairs. Miriallia and Tolle, after one affirmative nod, went up after him. The children, unsure of what to do, stayed and prayed downstairs with their Aunt Caridad and Reverend Malchio.

Upstairs, at the shared living space of the children, Sai was sitting on one of the small beds, looking distraught. Miriallia and Tolle sat beside each other on the bed opposite Sai's. The tension still hung around the air, what with Sai's silence and Miriallia and Tolle's evident worry for their friend.

"Sai, are you going to tell us what happened?" Miriallia finally spoke up, holding her boyfriend's hand for support. "You were still at Heliopolis, weren't you?"

The boy in question nodded grimly before looking at the direction of the window. There was a thick, dusty curtain there to hide the children and to keep the appearance of the rest of the building. "Look out," he said. "You'll see what happened."

With the slightest bit of hesitation, Miriallia and Tolle stood up and walked to where Sai pointed. Gathering the heavy cloth in one hand, Tolle pulled it aside, revealing people rushing home, running away from just one place.

Miriallia held her breath when she finally saw what Sai wanted them to see. At the very center of the city was a giant flame, burning brightly in the night. From where they stood, it only looked like a faint spark, but Miriallia knew that the damage was far bigger than that. "That's Heliopolis Square…it's burning!"

Tolle, having been there just a while ago, was even more unnerved at the sight. He held the trembling Miriallia in his arms and faced Sai. "What happened?"

Sai frowned. "One of the protesters got through the guards and went onstage. It caused quite the frenzy, but the guards couldn't afford to put their attention away from the growing crowd." Sai paused to take off his glasses and massage his aching temples. "He was just jumping up and down the stage, so they didn't mind him that much—after a while, though, when a strong gust of wind came along, he emptied the contents of the sack he was carrying."

"Why was he carrying a sack? How'd he get through like that?" Tolle asked, not believing the incredulity of the situation. "It seems more like a staged setup—do you think a loyal Orb guard let him through?"

Sai shrugged. "It doesn't matter. Could you guess what was inside that bag of his?"

"Something that would fly with the wind…paper?" Miriallia guessed.

"Yeah," Sai confirmed, furrowing his eyebrows. "It took a while, but his message got across. That man set himself on fire before the guards could behead him. That's why Heliopolis is like that right now."

Miriallia bit her lower lip. Tolle, seeing this, held her even tighter. "So the people scurried away?"

"Like mice," Sai answered with a twinge of bitterness laced in his voice. "The freaks called in from the Alliance wanted to chase after them, but the ones from Orb insisted to do some damage control before the fire could spread away from the stage."

For a moment, they were all quiet, silently praying for the state of their country. Miriallia was the first to speak. "Do you know what was written on those papers?"

Sai nodded, taking out a few crumpled sheets from his pocket. He grimly handed one to each of them and let his back fall to recline on the bed. Sai sighed again—they were living in a too messed up world.  _Not world, country_ , he had to remind himself. He had been wishing to escape Orb for so long, but attempting equated suicide, and he believed he still had much to live for.

He heard a gasp slip from both of their lips and decided it was best to not expound on it. He didn't understand much, but he knew what the person on stage was trying to say.

"So it's true…it's her, isn't it? It has to be her!" Miriallia argued, flailing about with her simultaneous disbelief and amazement. "This means she really is…"

"We can't be too sure, Miri," Tolle said. He didn't know why his breathing became uneven, but he blamed it on the same skepticism Miriallia showed. "We shouldn't get our hopes up."

"But it's all we have," she repeated, her words firm when leaving her lips. Blue eyes scanned the paper again and again, rereading the small printed text that blurred each time she went back to it. There were only three words, but she still could not find it in her to consider what she was seeing. After the umpteenth time, she settled the parchment on her lap and let the tears she was holding back loose. There was no longer any doubt in her mind.

The Goddess of Victory was coming back.

_End of Chapter Three_

 


	4. The Wolves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heavy Lies The Crown: Chapter Four  
> by tyrantsandcreampuffs
> 
> Falling from high places, falling through lost spaces.  
> Now that we're lonely, now that we're so far from home.  
> I lost my mind here.
> 
> Song of the Chapter: The Wolves by Ben Howard.

"Athrun! Athrun, is that you?"

Athrun turned his heel at the direction of the voice. In the small light emanated from the moon, he could vaguely make out a figure riding a horse at a dangerous speed, but the tenor quiver at the uncertainty of his apparition was distinguishable.

 _Kira_ , he thought fondly of his friend of ten years. Athrun was about to tell Cagalli of his friend when he heard the snap of twigs, and the unmistakable whinny of the horse a few meters away from them.

"No, wait!" he called out, but he was unsure if she was able to hear him in her hurry. "Cagalli—" As soon as her name left his lips, the outline of her body was lost in the shadows of the forest. Athrun brought up his hands to his hair and let out a frustrated groan.

 _Great, you just lost your chance to keep her!_  Athrun internally reprimanded himself with his hand sliding down his face.  _Like you could possible keep someone as undomesticated as her anyway._

"Athrun, if that's you, come down here—if not, err, I will have no choice to arrest you, Sir, as you are trespassing on Zaft grounds and Plant royal territory!" Kira sputtered, unsheathing his sword in the case he'd have to force the person into submission. He crossed the fingers of his other hand, hoping that it truly was Athrun. "Sir, if you do not come down in thirty seconds, I will assume that as a sign of hostility—"

Athrun could have laughed at his best friend's antics. "Geez, I'm coming, Kira!" he laughed. Putting one hand behind him for support, he slid down the slope of the small hill and landed on the soft sand of the beach. He looked up just in time to see Kira put his sword back into its sheath and dismount his horse.

"Athrun!" the brunette said out loud with a sigh of relief. "Thank Haumea you're alright, Lacus and I were so worried that you wouldn't come back on time—"

"Haumea?" Athrun asked out loud, looking at Kira. "I've heard that before…"

" _Did I do that! Oh, Haumea, I did! No! I'm so sorry! Let me fix it—please, it's the least I can do!"_

" _Well, thank Haumea you came after it. I wouldn't have had a use for it anyway. I'm not really the jewelry kind of person…"_

"Haumea is the goddess of fertility we worship back in Orb," Kira answered, confused at his friend's sudden interest. "I haven't really prayed to her in a while."

 _So this means Cagalli is from Orb?_  "What exactly do you pray for?" he found himself asking, though not really wanting to know. He was saying these words to stall, to find himself more hints about the blonde he had just met.  _If she's from Orb, and if she's in the forest like that, it means she must have had escaped during that takeover by the Alliance…_

Kira chuckled. His friend was obviously in some trance. "I didn't expect to find you and get an inquisition about my faith. Did you eat mushrooms while you were in the forest or something, Athun?"

 _No,_ Athrun answered only in his head,  _I haven't eaten anything the whole day—this means neither has Cagalli. She should have stayed—_  His thoughts came to an abrupt end when he heard his stomach rumble loudly. He blushed in embarrassment while Kira laughed, giving him a wry smile.

"Yeah, sure, you haven't eaten anything. That's improper for someone like you, Your Highness," Kira sneered lightly, and then his features gentled until his concern for his friend became evident enough. "But honestly, Athrun, how are you? Lacus didn't tell me much, just that you went out and chased a bandit on your own to get your ring—"

"—wait, she knows?" Athrun could not contain much of his surprise. "How did she—?"

"No, I sort of told her before you two left for Copernicus," Kira admitted, putting his head down. "I'm sorry, Athrun, but she asked me why you were being so nervous, so I had to tell her."

"Yeah, I understand—you can't keep anything from Lacus," Athrun chuckled; Kira blushed, which didn't go unnoticed by Athrun. He sighed.  _They're both so hopeless_. "But she's right. I chased after the thief, got the ring back, and now I'm here."

 _And she should be with me_ , he couldn't help thinking.  _Cagalli should be here in Plant—at least here I'd be able to keep an eye on her, make sure she's safe, unlike in that forest where she could—_

"Earth to Athrun?" Kira waved his free hand in front of his green-eyed friend. "Come on, we should really be heading back. Your father told me that he wants to see you as soon as you come home."

"He does?" Athrun asked, surprised. "That's…new."

"You wouldn't believe the fit he threw when he found out I was covering for you. I had a feeling that if King Patrick didn't know me, he would've had my head."

Athrun's lips formed a straight line at Kira's words. He was indebted to his friend and had hoped that his father would not find out about his leave or the fact that Kira was the one doing his responsibilities in his stead. He could excuse himself from the first one, but with him abandoning all those papers he was in charge of…there was no way he could be easily let off the hook by his father.

"So," he heard Kira start. "Should we head back now? Supper is starting soon, and your father would probably be in a lighter mood with food."

"Okay," Athrun said hesitantly. "Are we walking or am I going to have to share a horse with you?"

Kira widened his purple eyes in faux shock. "Sir, why of course! How else could we get through?" Then he put the cool look back on his face and said, "Athrun, Strike's isn't really big enough to fit the both of us at once. If I had brought Freedom instead, then maybe we could, but that would still be inappropriate and not to mention, really awkward."

"So I'm going to have to walk, aren't I?" Athrun groaned, his legs were already quite sore from his restlessness.

"No, I can't have that. You're the prince, Athrun, were you really expecting that I'd be able to ask that from you?"

"Why can't I just be Athrun your friend and not Athrun the prince? It's irritating, you know."

"Well, it comes with the circumstance of your birth," Kira said with a small upward twitch of his mouth. "You were born a Zala, so it's undeniable that you're royalty, but you're still your own person, and whatever you do with the rest of your life is at your disposal—so long as it doesn't affect the lives of those around you in a negative way."

"Wow, Kira, I think you'll be more fitting to be a leader of a country than I am," Athrun sniggered, clapping his hands. "Where and when ever did you ever learn to be so smart?"

"I was classmates with you at Copernicus for five years, you jerk," Kira replied dryly with a scoff. Then, he let out another laugh. "I was pretty sure that when I spotted you from the tower, you were with another person. That, or I should be getting glasses soon, but I'm sure my vision is perfect since I can still shoot targets accurately, so where is he?"

"He?" Athrun choked.  _Kira just called Cagalli a guy! But it's not like I didn't think she was one at first…_

"It's not what you're insinuating! I'm pretty sure you wouldn't just…take home a guy like that. I assume that that was the thief you caught and you were going to arrest him for sabotaging your ride back to Plant, but since he's not anywhere, you let him go when you got here?"

Athrun shook his head.  _If Cagalli was so adamant about not letting her identity known to him, how much more so with other people?_  He considered telling Kira who he was just with, but thought that it was better that he didn't know. "You were just imagining that, I'm sure. Remember that forest fairy story Mother used to tell us? That's probably what you saw."

"Speaking of Aunt Lenore," Kira stammered while fumbling with his fingers. He was not at ease with the topic of the deceased queen in front of her son, but someone had to tell Athrun what he knew. "In Junius City, ah, the finishing of your mother's statue and their harvest festival coincided, and Lacus went there as the official representative of Aprilius for the event."

"Without an escort?" Athrun asked.

"I would have come had it not been for the papers I still needed to finish. And besides, we're in Plant territory and she's safe," Kira reassured. "Their giant bonfire there is probably up by now."

"I should be there," Athrun voiced his thoughts out loud. "Not Lacus, she barely has anything to do with Junius."

"But she wanted to know their culture. You know how she is: always taking opportunities to expose herself to Plant and the rest of the world. She likes to be involved, you know? Unlike someone here who should really be more enthusiastic with his work load," Kira hinted, walking while pulling at the reins of his horse. Athrun refused to ride, so they both were treading the expanse of sand.

"Is Father _that_  angry with me?" Athrun asked once more.

Kira nodded. "Quite."

* * *

Cagalli pulled at the reins of Kusanagi when they almost ran into a tree. The stirrup held her feet in place, but it did not stop the rest of her body from being thrust forward. The tight grip she had on the neck of her horse seemed all too familiar and she didn't realize that her eyes were closed as she waited for the impact that never came.

When she opened her eyes, she let out a breath of relief, thanking Haumea that she and Kusanagi had been spared from that terrible crash. Cagalli let out an annoyed grunt. She found that opening her eyes didn't make that much a difference as the canopy above her blocked the minutest sliver of light from the moon.

"Do you think we could stop here for the night, Kusanagi?" Cagalli whispered to the beat horse. "I don't think we could get any further at this kind of visibility."

The horse neighed and took a few steps back. Cagalli dismounted and held the saddle on Kusanagi for support. She couldn't explain why she felt so nervous—why her heart was palpitating the way it was. Her thoughts drifted to a certain prince with midnight blue hair and emerald eyes, and she found the answer to her question.

The scarlet tint on her cheeks became even redder and the pounding motion against her chest felt harder, as if at any moment her heart would rip itself out from excessive motion. Still, Cagalli could not calm herself enough.

"Damn you, Zala!" she cursed, punching the saddle on Kusanagi. Her horse protested and she brought her fisted hand back to her side. Cagalli was still seething in frustration, but releasing the force onto something seemed to help, and now she was breathing normally.

 _You're not meant to feel like this, Cagalli_ , she told herself.  _You don't have to feel anything at all._

She stumbled away from Kusanagi and held her arms in front of her in precaution. She didn't want to accidentally hit a tree or a giant rock or anything that could cause an equal amount of pain. When she felt a rough, damp surface under her hand, she kneeled down and searched the ground under her for anything sharp or piercing. There were no rocks; only dry leaves.

Cagalli smirked to herself. "Yeah, I could sleep here just for tonight." She hovered over the leaves for a second before letting her weight fall on the leaves as a cushion. It was not the most comfortable setup, but she had been through worse and here she felt mildly eased, at least.

She brought one hand up to loosen the stiffness in her neck. She wasn't aware that she was  _this_  worn out. After a while, she slid her hand down to her chest—she felt it rise up and down slowly, but the thumping inside did not match the rhythm of her breathing.

She held her breath.  _Maybe I should've taken Athrun's offer. Surely my stay would have been a covert one. I do not think Athrun would dare tell his father of a girl from the wild lodging at their royal home._   _It would cause quite a scandal, and a great deal of embarrassment on Athrun's part._  Cagalli decided that what she did was better for the both of them.

 _Even if it meant that I'd have to go through with this dejection,_  Cagalli admitted with a frown.

Cagalli was not sure whether her eyes were open or not. There was no longer differentiating figures in the darkness—her eyes had given up on trying, and perhaps her eyelids succumbed to her fatigue. Still, she said, "Kusanagi, we're leaving tomorrow. I'll just be resting here; you should go take a nap, too—" Without awaiting a response from the horse, she fell asleep with a final yawn.

* * *

When amber eyes fluttered open, she was greeted with the same yet unfamiliar sight of lush green and darkened brown. Cagalli groaned as she got up, the strain from the uncomfortable position she was in taking its toll on her. She preferred the makeshift bed she had in the home she set up for Kusanagi and herself, but there really was no moving forward from their situation last night.

And when the events of yesterday came rushing to her head, Cagalli had to suppress a rather girlish giggle.  _There's no denying it at this point_ , Cagalli told herself. She had a  _mild_  crush on the prince, but maybe that was only because she had not gotten any sort of contact with the opposite gender for so long that she immediately took a liking for the next guy that came along.

It just so happened that he was good looking and well-mannered and he was a guy her father would have definitely approved of—except that a union between them wouldn't have been possible since they would have had separate kingdoms to rule.

 _But I'm no princess_ , Cagalli reminded herself miserably.  _But maybe if Athrun liked me even a tad bit, he would take me regardless of my circumstance…_

She frowned. She had forgotten that he was already engaged.  _To that pink-haired noble who wouldn't flinch when I held out my knife in front of her pretty face._

Cagalli could remember her clearly, that heart-shaped face with innocent blue-gray eyes and long flowing pink hair. She was so beautiful and ethereal. Cagalli reached for her own hair and tugged on it. Her short blonde locks couldn't probably compare to that girl waiting for him.

And her voice was so soft and sweet—a total contrast to her rough contralto. Cagalli sighed, giving in.  _It doesn't matter. There's no way we could see each other again._

Resolving to rid herself of those thoughts, Cagalli stood and inspected her surroundings. It was the same sight of oddly spaced trees extending forty feet in the air and the wild flowers growing near the roots. There were a few bushes which had berries she could pick from later. She took a step and stopped.  _Weird_ , she thought she heard something rustle behind her. She shrugged this off, too, and furrowed her brows at the lack of something in her vision.

"Kusanagi?" she called worriedly. "Kusanagi, where are you?"

Her horse was supposed to be lying down somewhere. When she found her spot last night, she was sure that she couldn't have walked too far away from Kusanagi.  _Maybe he tried to look for food_ , she said, her own stomach grumbling as well.  _Yeah, we didn't eat anything yesterday and the day before…_

Cagalli was able to take a good ten steps forward before she heard a snap resound and she felt the earth beneath her shift and pull her up five feet into the air. She let out a loud gasp before the moss that covered the rope that bound her fall into her mouth and muff her. Spluttering, she tried to get a hold on the thick binds surrounding her.

She let out an ear-piercing scream and thrashed wildly inside her cage. She instinctively went for the knife she kept in her holster, but remembering that Athrun made sure she was completely disarmed, she withdrew her hand and continued to hit the rope.

"Damn you, Zala, this is all your fault, I swear when I see you again at that road, I will throttle your neck and punch that pretty little face of yours until you see no tomorrow—!" Cagalli kept cursing, unaware of the small crowd gathered beneath her. She couldn't see anything other than the moss and the rope and given the small space she had, she couldn't move about to see who was the culprit behind her capture.

Meanwhile, the people below her were cowering in fear. Though she was the one trapped, they could feel the deadly aura around her and none of them were really brave enough to interrupt her rant.

"He warned us that she'd be like this, didn't he?" one whispered to another. The other person nodded in response and looked back up at the girl still trying to escape.

"But why couldn't we have just captured her normally? Maybe she wouldn't have put up that much resistance—"

"Who are you kidding? Do you even know who we're dealing with?"

The younger guy's eyes suddenly lit up. "Yes! This is the crown heir of Orb, Princess Cagalli Yula Athha, The Goddess of Victory! I'm not stupid, I know who she is; everyone knows who she is—"

"If you know who I am," Cagalli growled lowly, her teeth clenching. "Then let me go! This is no way to treat a princess—as you call me! Let me go, damn it!"

Ignoring her, the other guy answered, "Also called the  _Lioness of Orb_  for a reason, you dumbass. She doesn't really take after the King's composure—"

At the mention of her father, she punched the ropes again. "Who are you to speak of my father in that way? Tell me who you are—I will beat you to a pulp once I get out of here!"

"I wasn't saying anything!" the man cried, running behind the comrade he was having a conversation with earlier. The man was cowering in fear while the others were looking up at their princess, astounded at the sight of a blonde covered with moss.

When one of them realized their predicament, he knelt and put his head down—the only sign of respect he could offer to the otherwise indignant princess. The others followed and were immediately down on their knees, mumbling praises, apologies for the blonde.

Cagalli, on the other hand, felt uncomfortable.  _This means these people are from Orb…but how did they end up here? And how did they find out I was here? Nothing is adding up…_

She was about to open her mouth to tell them off when she heard the crunching of leaves and the familiar rhythm of steps. "Kusanagi!" she called. "Oh, you've come to rescue me!"

A deep voice chuckled. "Not quite. It seems he's still loyal to me."

"Stand up," Kisaka ordered. "The princess doesn't appreciate all the formalities at this kind of setting."

At the command, all of the five men who were in charge of capturing the blonde stood and nodded at their leader in recognition.

"Ki-Kisaka?" Cagalli stammered. She clung onto one of the knots and tried to stand—it was difficult as the holes could almost fit her feet and the moss was too slippery, but in the end she was able to lift herself up. She bent her head down to catch a glimpse of the gray-haired man she thought she would never see. "How could you—you were—" she stopped, trying to think of what she was going to say. Tears were streaming down her face at the sight of her old bodyguard who seemed to be very much alive.

"I'm dreaming, aren't I? Kisaka, you're here; does this mean I'm dead, too?"

The former general laughed at her words. He sure had missed the young princess. Even as a little girl, she was quick to draw to conclusions and he was glad that five years did not do that much change to her—at least, that's from what he could see now. Haumea knows the trauma she's had. "No, we're both in the forest, Princess."

"Stop calling me Princess," she said, flustered. She couldn't stop crying, but she was also smiling like a damned fool. Her emotions were getting the better of her. "Kisaka, you're really here…"

"Yes, Cagalli," he reassured her. "Do you need proof of my well-being?"

"No," she said. "I need you to get me out of this damned trap!"

Kisaka gave a small grin at the hardheaded girl. "Her word is law. Ahmed, cut the ties."

"Yes, Sir!" The tanned boy saluted and then ran to a nearby stone where the whole rope was supported. Ahmed faced Kisaka, waiting for a signal.

Kisaka looked back up, filled with much mirth at Cagalli's impatience. She was practically clawing at the rope with the same determined look she always had. "Now, Cagalli," he said, catching her attention. "I'm going to count to three, and one of my men will cut the rope that's holding you up there. I'm sure that by now you know that you're rather up high, so I'm going to have to catch you—"

Before Kisaka could finish his instructions, Ahmed had already hit the rope with his sword and Cagalli came screaming down, waving her arms like a bird, struggling to get a sense of balance while in midair. Luckily, his reflexes were fast enough for him to extend his arms and catch her while he was still on Kusanagi.

"Oof," Cagalli said as her back met Kisaka's arm. Stumbling, she got up and threw her arms around Kisaka, still crying. "I still can't believe you're here…I was so lost back then, you wouldn't know—"

"I know, Cagalli," he comforted the younger girl. Though their age difference was almost ten years, he still saw her as a younger sister—if not, his own daughter. "I'll explain it to you later, but now, I'm sure it's best that we get you to the base first. You're quite dirty, Princess, and I'm sure you'd appreciate a nice, warm meal."

The imperial blonde released him and looked up at him, her amber eyes still shimmering with her tears. She was biting her lower lip in habit, and the words she wanted to tell him were stuck in her throat. Kisaka nodded, understanding why she felt like that, and merely patted her head.

"Cheer up, kid. Things are going to be sunshine pretty soon."

And despite herself, Cagalli found herself laughing gaily at the line.

* * *

Their base, Cagalli saw, was still in the forest. It was rather near the watchtower of the Aprilius City gates, but somehow they've kept themselves hidden. That or the Zaft soldiers guarding the area knew of the place but didn't tell on them. It was like a wooden shack, but spacious enough to fit at least twenty rooms—maybe even more. There was no need for lamps since it was still very bright. It was probably almost noon, and she heard something crash inside.

"Mayura, what do you think you're doing?"

"No, no! Juri, let me do this!"

"Mayura, why don't you ever listen?"

"Not you, too, Asagi! I told you, I can cook the dishes, let me—"

Cagalli was sure she was not mistaken when she heard the three names of the people arguing inside. She jumped off of Kusanagi albeit the protests of Kisaka and rushed to the door. She rapped on the stilted door in her eagerness to supposedly see three of her old friends.

"What—who is that? Kisaka, are you back already?" she heard another female voice ask. She couldn't place the voice, but knew that she was going to find out soon as the locks behind the door were clicking. The door opened to reveal a hazel-haired woman in a scarlet jacket with a familiar mark from Orb.

Erica Simmons looked at the girl in front of her. This was obviously not Kisaka, and she was sure that he wasn't keen on picking up younger girls from the forest.

"Kisaka, who is this?" she asked curiously at the general walking to the foyer, not looking away from the blonde.

Kisaka almost burst out laughing. He was expecting Cagalli to look irritated at the fact that one of her subjects not recognizing her, but was shocked when he saw her return Erica's calm look—she was almost smiling, even.

He looked down at the young princess. "I'm pretty sure you know her. This is Erica Simmons, supposed heir to the Morgenroete stables."

"Kusanagi came from there, didn't he?" the girl asked almost timidly. When Kisaka nodded, the girl seemed to look at Erica almost sympathetically "Supposed heir? Why are you here then?"

Erica twisted her lips, uneasy at answering the questions of a stranger. "I'm sure you're aware of the situation in Orb. The Seirans wanted us to produce a thousand horses for their army, otherwise they would—"

"You needn't explain your situation," Kisaka cut in. "Princess, you should know better than ask those kinds of questions when you yourself aren't where you're supposed to be."

At the sudden revelation, Erica's steel gray eyes widened. She got down on one knee and looked away from the princess, ashamed that she used such a tone on her. "Your Highness, please forgive me for I didn't know—"

"This panic doesn't suit your cool façade, Simmons," Cagalli commented dryly. Then, when Erica looked up at her, she gave a warm smile. "Besides, there is no need for you to address me as such. Since you seem to be more updated of Orb's happenings than I am, I'm sure you also know that right now, the title of princess isn't really mine."

Erica took this as a sign to stand. She saw that behind Cagalli, Kisaka and his men were waiting to get in. Not meaning to be disrespectful, she took Cagalli's hands and gently dragged her inside—if there was a way to carefully pull someone anyway.

"You are still a princess and the rightful heir to the crown of Orb," Erica insisted. "It's just not me who thinks so. The circumstance was unfortunate—no, it's disgusting on the Seiran's part, but it was not a formal exile, and I'm sure that as you haven't agreed to sever your ties with throne, your lineage stays. You are still an Athha through and through."

At this, Cagalli grimaced. Kisaka had stepped in and noticed this, but decided that it was best to speak to her of everything later.

Three girls stepped out of the kitchen and one of them dropped the utensils they were holding.

"Cagalli!" the redhead called out, embracing the princess in a hug.

"Mayura!" Cagalli gladly replied, returning her friend's hug. Among Mayura, Juri, and Asagi, she was admittedly closest to Mayura Labatt because they had the same tomboyish personality. When she used to visit the orphanage to play with the other children there, she would always stir some sort of trouble with Mayura's help. It was always to the dismay of Aunt Caridad and Mana, who had to clean up after the two girls. "I can't believe you're here, too!"

Asagi and Juri walked towards the two and bowed to the princess. Mayura pulled away and went back to her other friends' side.

Asagi Caldwell, a blonde with curled tresses and sky blue eyes, was the next to speak. "Cagalli, we haven't seen you for so long…how are you? And how did you get here? Did you come from Plant?"

"Yes, Cagalli," Juri Wu Nien, the other girl with blue hair and yellow eyes, interjected. She was quite shy and usually hid behind her large pink glasses. "Please tell us how you got here—"

"That's enough for now," Kisaka interrupted, coughing from the side. Beside him was Erica, looking concerned and at the same time giving Kisaka an accusing glare. "Princess, Erica will guide you to the room you will be staying in. After you take a bath, you shall eat—" He stopped when he heard a low grumbling noise emit from Cagalli's stomach. She merely chuckled and rubbed the back of her neck.

"Yeah, I'd appreciate that," she said.

Sighing, Kisaka continued, "I'm sure there are spare clothes you could wear. Erica will see to that. And these three will make sure that by the time you're done with cleaning yourself, you have something to fill that tiny stomach of yours—"

"Are you calling me scrawny, Kisaka!" Cagalli challenged, taking a defiant step forward and punching her fist in the air. "For your information, I am healthy and fit and able-bodied enough to do whatever the hell I want!"

He merely raised one of his gray brows at her. He remembered catching her and supporting her for a while before she sat on her own. She was light—it was like she didn't gain any weight to add to the inches she grew. Then when she looked up at him, even though there weren't any bags evident under her eyes, her cheeks were hollow and her golden eyes were surely holding something back.

She was Cagalli, he knew that for sure, but something has definitely changed. Somehow, he couldn't help but be guilty for what he's done, however, with the plot he had carefully planned over with some of his most trusted men, he was sure that he would make it up to her by giving her her title back.

"Whatever you say, Princess," he said in a defeated tone. The five men he was earlier with came inside and he turned around, facing the youngest. "Ahmed, you bring water to the bathroom for the princess. I bet you can handle that."

The boy blushed, afraid that the giant man would bring up an earlier, embarrassing event in front of the princess herself. Ahmed looked at the princess who was eyeing him pitifully. Her gaze said something in the lines of  _I'm sorry, I want to help you because I'm sure I can do it, but Kisaka probably won't let me._

He had given that look to the other people in this safe house as well.

Stepping out into the foyer, he breathed in the scent of the forest he was accustomed to smelling every day. Before he could go on to the river, he heard a shout.

"Oy! You, you're the one who let me drop like that a while ago! Come back, I said I would punch you—"

And Ahmed, scared for his own life, jumped onto his horse and led it to the river as fast as he could.

* * *

While walking through the small corridor of the house, Cagalli couldn't help but be unnerved by the subtle stares the few people she encountered were giving. It seemed as though they were skeptic yet at the same time grateful that she was there. She wanted to tell them off, but she had to keep an air of dignity around her at all times now that she was with her former subjects and all.

Still, she wished that they would just let her be while she was eating her food.

Cagalli didn't realize how hungry she really was until the three girls laid out a feast in front of her. Her mouth immediately watered and without a second thought, her fork had plunged into a piece of wild turkey with some kind of sauce made out of a certain berry. She had surely eaten a lot in such a short span of time, but she did so with grace—a skill she acquired from practicing fine dining for years.

There were only five other people sitting around the table with her—and she only knew two: Kisaka and Erica. The rest of them were total strangers to her, but it had seemed that they were all from Orb. There were plates set out in front of them, too, but they all had insisted that they were not hungry. Inside, she didn't believe them; she thought that they only felt guilty when she told them she hadn't eaten anything for more than two days. But then, she resumed her eating.  _More for me, then_.

She reminded herself to praise Juri, Mayura, and Asagi for their brilliant cooking later.

After the table was cleared by another person, she turned to the five adults and asked, "How many people are here, exactly?"

"Aside from those three girls and the five of us, there are also around fifteen soldiers here and then ten small families," Erica supplied. "Kisaka and the others were the ones to smuggle those civilians out of Orb. The others are currently kind of fugitives at the different cities of Plant."

"I see," Cagalli replied with a frown. She wanted to know more, but the warning bells were going off in her head, almost telling her that she shouldn't know of any truth. "And how long has this operation been going on exactly?"

Kisaka knew what Cagalli really wanted to ask:  _Why didn't you come for me if you knew I was out there?_

"After the siege, when I told you to go to Plant, Sahib here was escaping and they found me just as I was walking out to the path. They tried to help me, but then the soldiers from the Alliance chased after us and we ended up having to take refuge in the forest. We're near Plant territory, as you may have noticed, so the soldiers from Zaft probably scared those freaks from the Alliance away."

Cagalli listened intently, trying to process what he was saying. Somehow, she started to form a better picture of what happened to her trusted former bodyguard.

"But we weren't completely unnoticed by the guards. One of them came up to us and as he realized we were from Orb, asked what happened. We told him the truth, and he told us that his wife was in Orb who was probably in danger because of the takeover. He personally knew the king, and he promised to help us out if we got his wife out of Orb and brought her to Plant—we couldn't just say no. So after two months, we set out and got her plus another family out of Orb. It went for a while, us going back and forth every other month, rescuing families and the like.

"Then the situation got worse. Orb had officially declared herself closed from Plant and The Alliance, so it was impossible to get even close to the border, how much more if we went in and smuggled the people out? I tried to find you in Plant, but you were nowhere to be found."

"When did this stop?" Cagalli asked, resting her chin on her entwined hands.

"Just last year."

"Ah." She bit her tongue. "So these families are all safe in Plant, I presume?"

"Yes, Your Highness," the oldest one answered—though it came out more of a grunt. He was dark-skinned and had a medium-length brown beard covering his face. Cagalli assumed that this one was Sahib. "We made sure that they were going to be taken care of or had a way to make it there."

Still, Cagalli couldn't cross that thought out of her mind.  _If you knew I wasn't in Plant, Kisaka, then why didn't you come after me? You knew I wasn't dead, knew that I was still there in the forest—why didn't you get me there?_

"You may think that I left you, Cagalli, but I never did," Kisaka admitted guiltily. "I know where you were, in the forest. There were tales from merchants from the Alliance that a blonde fairy steals from carriages _—_ and I was sure that was you. Those stories started about half a year ago. That's when I realized you were still alive. I thanked Haumea and believe me, I tried to find you there, but I couldn't."

"Stealing? You knew I was stealing and  _thought that I knew what I was doing_?" Cagalli scoffed, the feelings of pent up resentment finally uncovering itself after many years. "My life was hell! I had no one other than Kusanagi! I went through days with no food! I lost count on the number of days I was there because I had fainting spells and I didn't know how long I was passed out! I only had to resort to stealing a few months ago! You could have tried harder to find me!"

The house shook with her anger, the unbearable anguish evident in her voice. A few children passing were peeking from behind a post, but their mothers passed by and quickly hushed them, pushing them back into their respective rooms. Even the two other adults at the table were cringing at the princess's wrath.

Kisaka braced himself. "Yes, I was actually quite angry at first, knowing that you didn't go to Plant as was your father's instruction—"

"You couldn't have possibly expected me to follow through with that! Imagine the trauma it gave me, Kisaka! I was  _alone_  and I was  _frightened_  and do you honestly think I could have  _trusted_  anyone—"

"Yes, because that was your father's orders! You wouldn't defy him just like that, and I understand that you were most likely scared and unable to think properly with what you had witnessed, but that is no reason for you to disobey me and your father on a whim!" he scolded, raising his voice at her. "You brought this upon yourself, Cagalli. As much as I blame myself for not finding you sooner, you have to accept that this predicament could have been avoided if you had just not been so stubborn and went to Plant!"

Cagalli stiffened in her seat. He was right, she grudgingly admitted, and there was no arguing with Kisaka who always knew what was best for her. She gulped and took a breath to calm herself. "It is not that I was stubborn, Kisaka," she said with as much poise as she could muster. "What's done is done. You have your regrets; I have mine. Aren't you glad, though, that I learned a lot of things in the…"

"Five years, Your Highness," the other blond supplied.

"Five years, then. It's been five years, yet I feel as though I've aged more than I should have."

"Solitude tends to do that to us," the same blond cheekily stated; the brunette beside him elbowed him and gave him a glare with her hazel eyes. "Murrue, that hurt! I was only telling her the truth!"

"Comments like that are uncalled for, Mu," the woman said swiftly with another glare.

Cagalli could only look at the pair with wonder. "And you two are?"

The blond smiled at the princess. He would have winked had it not been for the look his seatmate was giving him. "Mu La Flaga at your service, Your Highness. I used to share the rank of captain with this fine lady—ow! Murrue, stop it!—here. This is Murrue Ramius, my fiancée."

"Fiancée?" Cagalli choked out, surprised that the two people quarreling were actually lovers.

"It isn't obvious, is it?" Sahib chuckled, putting his fist over his mouth. "Don't be fooled, Princess, these two are quite the pair. Even with the rather tumultuous events, they still think being engaged is practical."

Murrue glared at the dark man, too, and looked at the princess. "My apologies, Your Highness. As Mu said, I am Murrue."

Cagalli smiled wanly. "Could you please use my name instead? I prefer Cagalli to those titles."

"Will do, Cagalli," Mu said with a laugh. "See, Murrue? I told you she wasn't as uptight as you—ouch! Okay, no more insults, I promise."

Kisaka let out a loud cough, bringing an end to the lighter mood. "On to a more serious matter—Cagalli, you were brought here for a reason. We haven't had any contact with anyone from Orb for a year, but if our calendar serves us right, Orb will be sending out soldiers to look for you next week. They've been doing so for the past five years, all on the same day."

"I've noticed them, but they never really caught me," she said, half-lying. Indeed, they had caught her. At least, one had. It was three years ago, and the soldier had took pity on her, said that he believed in the Athha name more than anything, and let her go. His move had cost him his life. Cagalli saw as she was running away on Kusanagi that his comrades had stabbed him and chased after her.

The guilt of the man's life weighed her down, but Cagalli knew she had to move on.

"They're there every year. What's the occasion?"

The adults shared an uneasy look. "It doesn't matter," Kisaka answered. "But what you should know of is the goings-on of Orb."

At this, Cagalli's ears seemed to perk and her golden eyes shined with a certain interest. Kisaka grinned, knowing that this was her reaction to the kingdom she treasured so much. "There's not much to explain. The Seirans are still ruling and are backed up by a former duke from the Alliance, Lord Djibril. The citizens are being oppressed and they want to oust Unato Ema Seiran, but they're all too scared."

"And what are we to do with this?" Cagalli said with a grimace, her face contorting to an expression of seriousness. "Obviously we have to do something because I will not stand for this, for my people to be subjugated that way by those bastards!"

"Cagalli, calm down. I know how eager you are to act on it, but you're not yet prepared. We've thought of a plan, and you just need to fulfill a certain role for the rest of Orb."

"I'll be anything," Cagalli volunteered with a look of determination crossing her eyes. "Anything for Orb."

* * *

Kira looked down at the letter in his hands then back at the carrier pigeon eyeing him queerly. After he had given the bird a small treat, it flew away with a satisfied smile on its beak. After perusing the contents, he pocketed it and turned to his best friend. Athrun was busy reviewing the papers he collected and filed for him. They were a mix of Zaft reports and accounts from towns in the cities, so it would take him a while to read them all.

"Hey, Athrun," Kira fidgeted in his place. Athrun looked up from a folder and raised a brow at him. "See, since I was busy covering for you, I couldn't really go out these past two weeks, so there are a few other personal errands I have to run, and err, I was actually wondering if—"

"You could go?" Athrun supplied. He put the folder he was holding down onto the table in front of him and smiled up at his best friend. "Of course, Kira. You've done more than I expected you to do and I wouldn't want to hold you back from you doing what you want."

"Thank you, Athrun!" Kira replied with a grin. He picked his messenger bag off the ground and tossed it over his shoulder. Before exiting the crowded office, he looked back at the blue-haired prince and warned, "Don't overwork yourself this time, okay? And make sure you go to the infirmary later to replace your bandages. I won't be here to catch you if you faint—"

"Please don't mention that ever again." Athrun closed his eyes and brought up a hand to massage his temples. He was absolutely mortified at the mention of his little stunt last night when he was meeting with his father. "I'd appreciate it if we just forgot that it ever happened."

Kira snickered. "How about I don't? It was hilarious!"

"It was shameful," Athrun said with a droll tone. "The court saw me, Kira! I'm the figure they're supposed to be looking up to next to the king, but look at what I did—I just collapsed and now I can't go out to face Father's disparaging looks."

"No, I don't think their opinion of you would change just because of what happened last night." Kira tried to give his friend an empathic smile. "Anyway, I better head off. You sure you'll be fine?"

Athrun did a double take. He blinked and rubbed his eyes until the image of a blond was no longer burned onto his retina.  _That's weird_ , he thought to himself,  _I thought I saw Cagalli in Kira._

"Yes," he finally said. "I'll be fine."

Kira gave a nod. "I'll be off then. Also, I'm not sure if I'm coming back to the castle or if I'm going to sleep over at my friend's, so…"

"Whatever, Kira," Athrun laughed. "Goodbye, then."

When he saw that Kira had closed the door behind him, Athrun let out a sigh. He should really stop thinking about Cagalli. There was no denying the attraction he felt towards her, but there was no possible way for them to be together. He was trapped in his engagement to Lacus and if his father found out about Cagalli, he would have his men go after her in the forest and perhaps take her head and bring it back to him on a silver platter just to spite him, remind him what his life was supposed to be.

But here he was, and he couldn't stop thinking of a certain blonde who had captured his attention and—he wasn't even sure if she felt the same way towards him. He groaned, sinking himself further into his chair. She was too much of a distraction and she would surely be the reason why his father would send one of the servants to knock on his door and demand for the summary of the reports.

 _Right, Athrun, you should focus_ , he told himself. But as soon as he closed his eyes, he could only imagine Cagalli's figure in front of him, blushing as she held a long piece of cloth to wrap around him.

_Damn it!_

* * *

Cagalli stared back at them, reluctant to give an immediate reply. They seemed to have everything planned out. All they needed was Cagalli to be their  _Goddess of Victory_ , their queen once they've gotten their hands on the Seirans and Lord Djibril. They apparently didn't even need to break into Orb as their entrance was secured—the guards would let them in because they were apparently loyal to her.

She scrunched her nose and flared up. "Then what is the point of me if I'm not really going to fight?"

Kisaka immediately glared at her. "We do not want to risk your life in the scuffle—"

"And it's fine for a hundred or more men to die in my name? I don't think—"

"The people need a queen! You're the only one who could take on such a position—"

"Because of my supposed royal blood? You know damn well that I'm not really—"

"Your actual parentage aside, you're the only one Uzumi-sama trusted with Orb!"

His final words felt like a slap, and surely it had stung as Cagalli's anger faltered, much to her chagrin. Slightly content, Kisaka continued, "King Uzumi did not want Orb to fall into the hands of people like the Seirans—those who do not understand the meaning of Orb's ideals and will leave the country in ruins."

Cagalli thought for a moment. Then, she said, "I will not accept. Not unless you let me fight along with you."

"I said no, Cagalli! Why are you so damn stubborn about this—"

"Because I need to prove to my kingdom that their queen is  _more_  than able, that I can and  _will_  fight for them, for those ideals we're trying to protect. Kisaka, don't you see? I've been gone for five years and they don't know what I can do!" Cagalli argued some more, standing up from her seat and slammed her palm against the wooden furniture. "If you're going to reason that it's because I know nothing of battle, then I will not accept because I know nothing of being a proper monarch either. I could learn the latter as I go, but I could learn the former  _now_ , while we're all preparing for the reconquering."

She softened her expression and looked directly into Kisaka's eyes. "Please, Kisaka, let me do this. My father's sacrifice, all for naught—"

"And think of those people in Orb who blindly believe in you coming back to them, Cagalli. Think of all those protesters who died in your name; that man who burned himself alive on stage—he was crazy, yes, but only because he firmly believed that dying in such a way was better than dying in the hands of the filthy Alliance soldiers. That's the real spark to this revolution—literally, too. He was a fool for almost burning down the whole of Heliopolis. Think of them, Cagalli. Their sacrifice, all for naught if  _you_  decide to let yourself be killed."

"I think you should let her, Kisaka," Mu quipped. "I'll train her myself, if you allow me. I understand her point here, and I think that if she wants to fight, we shouldn't stop her."

"That is a very irresponsible decision, Mu," Murrue scowled at her fiancé. Kisaka nodded, agreeing. "But I think she's right. Leaders shouldn't cower behind their subjects. I speak of this from my personal experience as a captain." She paused, facing the former general. "Kisaka, I agree with Mu and Cagalli."

Kisaka groaned. "Is there no convincing any of you?"

Everyone in the table shook their heads. Erica smiled slightly and said, "We're all fighting for something here, Kisaka; I'm sure Princess Cagalli here just wants to do the same. By now, we all know that she is no damsel in distress."

Cagalli smirked at the older woman, but inside she was saddened at the reminder of how helpless she was before they came to get her. She could not have marched back to Orb on her own, and now that she was aware that her people still supported her, she had felt as though a giant load has been lifted off of her back and that she could actually do something to repay them.

"Thank you for your encouragement, everyone except Kisaka," she said. The others snickered—even Kisaka had a small grin in place of the firm line that was usually his lips. "Is there anything else I need to know of?"

Before any adult could reply, the door slammed open and a hooded figure barged in. He was not holding a weapon, but he seemed to be in a state of frenzy, causing poor Juri, who was guarding the door, to fall down onto the floor. The person had not even noticed her groaning and went up to the nearest person in his line of vision.

"Is it true?" he exclaimed, the excitement evident in his tone. "Is it true? Is she really here?"

Cagalli stood up and ran to the small parlor. It was  _him_ , she was sure, and although she had ran away from him yesterday, she wasn't going to let him go anytime soon once she reached him.

The person's cloak fell down to his neck, revealing coffee-brown hair tousled from riding in a rush.

"Kira?"

Purple orbs met amber ones.

"Cagalli!"

_End of Chapter Four_


	5. Terrible Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heavy Lies The Crown: Chapter Five  
> by tyrantsandcreampuffs
> 
> And I can't fall asleep without a little help.  
> It takes a while to settle down my shivered bones until the panic's out.  
> It takes an ocean not to break.
> 
> Song of the Chapter: Terrible Love by The National.

Cagalli looked down at her legs which were swinging back and forth in her anxiety. She had refused to wear the different dresses Erica had brought to her room for her and now she was wearing a loose pair of trousers that bared her calves. She didn't bother for the colorful tunics and instead put on an orange Morgenroete jacket—everyone in the safe house was wearing one anyway.

She didn't mind looking as plain as a commoner, but the people around her probably did.

It was already her third day staying at the safe house, but Cagalli still couldn't get the people around her to like her. The children didn't approach her as easily as they could to Mayura or Kira and their parents wouldn't indulge her in a light conversation in the small parlor when she sat on a chair with obviously nothing to do to pass the time.

Cagalli wondered if there was something she was doing wrong for the people in the household—her supposed future subjects—to be avoiding her like they were. She was actually very humble, wasn't she? Not acting snobbish like some of her former governesses advised her to be?

The mirror in front of her wouldn't lie. As she sat on a stool, she stared at her reflection and thought that if it wasn't how she acted, it must have been the way she looked. Was there really anything wrong with her appearance? She was of fair height—a bit taller than the average, but she was definitely not lanky or gangly in any way. She was  _maybe_  a bit underweight and her face was a bit hollow, but she was sure she was gaining weight what with all the food she's been stuffing down her throat the past few days.

She'd justly blame it on Juri's amazing cooking and Kisaka's constant fussing over her health.

Was it her skin? She wasn't porcelain white due to her frequent exposure to the sun. She was fair—her skin tanned in a beautiful, sun-kissed way. Sure, there were freckles here and there, but didn't that make it... _cuter_? Her skin complemented her hair and vice versa—both golden and shining healthfully enough. Maybe it was the way her hair was too short for comfort? She'd grow it out for them if they wanted her to.

At this point, Cagalli was sure she was desperate for their acceptance.

"Cagalli, do you really need me to say it? You look perfectly fine."

 _Of course you'd say that, Kira_ , Cagalli thought dryly.  _You're saying that because we look alike. We're twins, for Haumea's sake!_

Kira couldn't understand why his twin was busy looking at her reflection. He knew that she wasn't vain—she never was and never could be. It just wasn't her to think so highly of herself. But what was she doing now? Appreciating her own beauty? She would probably have her own share of admirers if she was exposed to the rest of the world now and—his protectiveness kicking in—he wouldn't have it.

"Cagalli, earth to Cagalli? Can you even hear me?" Kira asked, exasperated. "Cagalli, now's not the time to be vain—we still have to get back to your training. You wanted to practice on your archery skills, right? Right, Cagalli?"

Her right eye twitching in annoyance, Cagalli threw the brush on the desk at her twin. "I'm not being vain, you idiot! My muscles are aching and I got Kisaka to give me a day off, okay? So shut up before you irritate me some more!"

Kira had managed to evade at the last second, letting the brush hit the headboard of the bed he was sitting on. Horrified at the small dent it had made, he turned to the volatile princess. "You're not supposed to be breaking things, Cagalli! We don't really have the money to afford repairing everything!"

"I told you to shut up, damn it!" she retaliated, shouting. She stepped off the chair and stood in front of Kira with her arms crossed. "Why are you even here? This is my room!"

"You're just mad that I caught you eyeing yourself in the mirror!"

"No, Kira! I'm mad that you went in without permission!"

"No, Cagalli! You really just don't like being caught doing something so conceited!"

"Kira, get out!"

"Is it that time of the month or something, Cagalli?" Kira cried as he defended himself with a pillow. His sister was attempting to slap or punch him, but her hands were instead hitting the rather fluffy cushion. "Come on, I just wanted to check on my dearest younger sister!"

Cagalli stopped and replaced her hands back to her side. Growling, she said, "Get it through that shaggy brown hair of yours, Kira— _I'm_  the older one!"

Kira, seeing that Cagalli has put down her arms, assumed that she was calmer. "See, it's not that bad? Now, since we're not going to practice, I wanted to talk about something—Cagalli, hey, let me go!"

Cagalli, grasping his wrists tightly, gave a smug grin as she reached for the bolt of her door. "Kira, I told you to get out, didn't you?"

"I just wanted to talk to my little sister!" he defended himself, trying to pull away and push his way into the room, but Cagalli wouldn't let him. "Cagalli, come on! You know we need to talk! Wait, you're a girl—why are you so strong, damn it?"

After successfully kicking him out of the room (with an actual painful kick to her brother's shin), Cagalli gave a triumphant smile. "We'll talk later when I'm not that angry anymore, Kira! Bye!"

And she promptly slammed the wooden door to his stunned face.

Kisaka, standing at the end of the corridor, heard most of the argument and now smirked at the helpless brunet. "She's not going to talk to you, is she?" he asked with a careful tone—he still couldn't help snicker as Kira walked up to him.

Kira shook his head. "I tried to make her talk to me that night I found out she was here, but it's like she's purposely shutting me out. She accepts that we're twins—perhaps with a bit of bitterness, though. I'm just worried for her, Kisaka. You understand, don't you?"

The almost thirty year old former general nodded. "She's long accepted the fact that King Uzumi did what he did, that you're her brother, and that Orb is in danger, but as of now, she's just not yet able to confront these things directly. Cagalli's unprepared for the reconquering of Orb—she might not know it, though. That's why she's here right now—we're making sure she's ready when the time comes. And when we take Orb back, she might also not be able to face her father's body or tomb or whatever remains of the King."

Kira bit his lip, not really knowing what to do with this knowledge.

"She also can't talk to you about…you know, being twins and all. She'll be ready one day. And it'll be within the week, I'm sure. You just need to give her some space, okay, Kira?" Kisaka eyed at the young man furrowing his eyebrows.

Kira looked back at the locked door and let out a sigh. "Yeah. Say, do you have some spare targets I could shoot?"

* * *

"This was a trap," Cagalli said with a click of her tongue. It was a futile attempt at hiding her disdain. "You so knew I was going to be tempted to come down and shoot things!"

Kira raised a brow, trying to put his smirk into a straight line instead. "Perhaps contrary to what you think, I don't know you  _that_  well, Princess. I mean, Kisaka just happened to have spare targets—and they were set up twenty yards away from your room's window. Who knew? You can't blame me, my dear sister. You should've just turned away."

"Yes, but—" Cagalli bit back her tongue. She knew it wasn't the best idea to lie at the moment. "Fine, you win. My arms hurt from swinging that damn sword all afternoon yesterday, but I'm still up for the challenge. Happy?"

"Me? Happy?" Kira asked with a grin and then threw his arms around the blonde. "Of course! I'm finally with my sister!"

Cagalli coughed awkwardly. She still didn't have it in her to say the same to him—though she was sure that she was very much relieved that she was finally with family, people she could trust. Kira, sensing this, retracted his arms and stepped back. His purple eyes twinkling, he said, "Hey, Cagalli. It's fine if you don't feel the same way. I'm sure you'll open up to me soon enough."

"No, no; don't get me wrong!" Cagalli shouted, reaching for his hands and pulling him near her. "Kira, I've long accepted that you're my brother, and I'm genuinely pleased about our reunion! I mean, I've had a few years to think it over. It's just that…what with all the new information I've gotten in the past days, I don't know what to make of my thoughts and my emotions. Even just finding out that Kisaka is alive and that…he  _knew_  I was out there in the forest. I'm so confused, but I think I'm slowly understanding why these things happened—are happening."

Kira looked at her with a rather odd expression; Cagalli couldn't decipher what it meant.

"Are you so sure about that?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper in the light breeze.

 _What's that supposed to mean?_  Cagalli wanted to ask, but thought better of it and instead let go of his hands. She looked up at him and mustered the most sincere face she could. "I don't know for sure, but…I know that being here at the safe house with all you guys—it's what's right for now. I can't explain it, Kira, but it's like…I'm meant to be here. If it was earlier, I wouldn't have—" Cagalli's eyes opened wide because she realized what she was just about to say.

 _I wouldn't have met Athrun in the same way_.

"You wouldn't have?" Kira asked and looked amusedly at his sister's very startled and flustered face. "Cagalli, I thought you were taught to finish what you started or so."

"I was, but does it really look like I care for the things those snotty governesses taught me? Stand like this, walk like this, eat like this; sit on a horse like this!" Cagalli had started gesticulating at this point and Kira, ever amused, stayed silent, watching curiously. "I will ride my horse any damned way I want to!"

"Language, my dear sister," Kira reminded with a chuckle. "And also, let's not digress. Err, so—would you like me to teach you how to hold that bow?"

Cagalli had picked up a longbow and looked down at the long piece of curved wood. "Is this really how this is supposed to be? It's just as tall as me!"

"It's usually for defense at the borders. Meant for...I don't know how to explain it to you, Cagalli. There should be a lot of you, and you're behind a wall, and you are basically raining it down on your enemies. Does that make sense?"

She eyed the longbow cautiously before dragging it back into the storage room. "You'd think I'd finally get a break from training—but  _no_ , Kira decides to visit again! My arms haven't even fully recovered yet!" She got a smaller bow that was about her arm's length and decided it was of better use to her. Trudging slowly out of the shed with the bow in hand, she glared at the brunet. "This is all your fault."

"I won't be able to come here tomorrow and the day after that. I'm busy earning as much as I can for this place, you know?" Kira commented with only a hint of irritation. Not that he was irritated at Cagalli for not acknowledging his hard work, but he was only disappointed that she wasn't as eager as he was in trying to catch up with their lost twin time.

"Do you see that target, Cagalli? Yeah, the one by the tree. I want you to try to hit that," he declared with an excited grin. The blonde looked at him almost hopelessly with the face resembling that of a lost pup.

"That's so far away!"

"You can do it, I'm sure," Kira encouraged with a small smile. "Go and give it a try first then we'll work from there."

Nodding, Cagalli raised the bow to her eyelevel and fumbled with the wood and the string. Biting her lip quivering lip down, she looked at the target Kira had set up a good twenty meters away from where she was currently standing. Drawing the string back, she let out a nervous breath before releasing it. Cagalli also closed her eyes as to not see where the arrow ended up and Kira's judging eyes.

_Okay, maybe I shouldn't have tried at all._

"Cagalli, you—" Kira spluttered, the disbelief in his tone evident. "You—"

"Did she—did she really do that?" another voice quipped in. Cagalli opened her eyes and turned to the direction of the voice. Kira followed suit, only a tad bit irked at the interruption.

"Ahmed?" Cagalli's voice suddenly had a…feminine quality to it, but Kira was sure that was only in his head—which irritated him greatly so. It wasn't as if Kira believed that Cagalli could return the younger boy's affections, but it was no secret that Ahmed admired her and Kira, his overprotectiveness kicking in once more, didn't like that fact at all.

With a frown, he started, "Ahmed, I thought you were supposed to be…I don't know, doing something else?"

Cagalli approached him and nudged his ribs, making him cough rather loudly. "He doesn't mean it, Ahmed. What brings you here?"

Ahmed, with a boyish grin and a blush on his face, answered, "I was inside playing with the younger children when I heard some shouting from out here. I checked it out and I…I should have known it was just you two arguing  _again_."

"We weren't arguing, really," Cagalli chuckled. "I was just trying out some archery and I guess I really suck at it."

"Are you kidding, Cagalli? Your arrow hit the target's head!" Kira shouted excitedly, grabbing his sister and turning her to face the target. "You're  _amazing_  for someone who's never had to use a bow before! It's like, it's like you're…a natural at these things!"

"A natural, huh?" Cagalli absentmindedly mumbled as she stared at the arrow which was firmly set in the target. Was she really the one to do that? She couldn't believe that she was able to achieve something on her first try. "Perhaps it was just beginner's luck, Kira. That happens, doesn't it?"

"Try again and we'll see, okay?" He handed her another arrow and again, she aimed with her bow and shot. Like her earlier attempt, the bow hit the target—except this time it ended up on the torso part.

"Princess, you're amazing!" Ahmed burst out, grabbing a hold of the blonde princess's hands. "Amazing, amazing! I can't even manage to get a direct shot like that! Princess Cagalli, you are really amazing, have I told you that? To even be in your presence is such an honor, Your Highness, but I'm standing here just a few inches away from you! I really can't—"

"Ahmed, shut up and let go of my sister before I punch you."

* * *

Kira rubbed his sore arm and took a seat across his sister. Just a minute ago, he tried to offer her a seat properly—the way a gentleman should—but instead all he received was a punch and a degrading speech about how sexist and inconsiderate he was.

He sighed, thinking that if she was anything like Lacus, he would have gotten a polite 'thank you' and a soft kiss to his cheek.

But she wasn't Lacus—she was Cagalli, and he had to remind himself again and again that she was different and that she was his sister and that he would love her unconditionally. It would be difficult for them both, he was sure, but he thought that they were having a good start. He believed that they could make it through whatever ordeal together and that he could make their weird relationship work.

And he believed in her, definitely. He believed in her strength and faith and admired her greatly for the courage she's shown in the past years when she was alone. He didn't think he could have handled isolation and independence just like that.

"Kira, please stop…smiling at me. It's embarrassing."

Kira looked up to meet the eyes of his sister which were taking up a more orange tone from the candles lighting the room. There was something off from seeing them in such a color, but he chose to shrug it off and laughed in response.

"I've missed out on years embarrassing you. Do you remember that one time at the orphanage when you tripped and brought Sai down with you? His head went under your skirt and—"

"Kira, that's a story not for dinner conversation!" Cagalli cried out, almost stabbing the poor green vegetable on her plate. The high frequency, caused by the scratching of metal against ceramic, made the other adults around the dining table look at the two teenagers. Cagalli, in turn, blushed and hung her head down—an action she knew was not befitting for someone of her supposed stature, but still, she couldn't help feel self-conscious under the scrutiny of the people she still couldn't get to like her.

"I guess you're right," Kira merely chuckled, playing with the small serving of broccoli on his own plate. Cagalli stared at him queerly before nodding in acknowledgment of his answer and then returning back to her food.

It was a slice of steak—which she was sure she was the only one who had that kind of food on her plate—sided with herbed potatoes and some other vegetables. It was a very filling meal and obviously  _special_ , but she didn't want that kind of treatment. She didn't know how to tell it to Kisaka or Kira or Erica (who was also sneaking in some nice things in her room) without sounding rude in any way.

When Cagalli found Kisaka eyeing her with a look reminiscent of the one her father used to make when she refused to eat, she smiled and took the knife to her right and cut a small portion and put the piece in her mouth as daintily as she could with her fork. When she saw that he was satisfied with her eating, she put the knife back on the table and frowned.

Here in front of her were some of the people who kept fussing over her but didn't do anything to reach out to her or ask her if she's actually okay. Even Mayura kept a certain distance from her. It was her third night staying over at the safe house, and she still couldn't understand why they weren't approaching her at all.

"So." Kisaka's low voice came to their ears. "How was everyone's day?"

Erica put her own spoon down and snickered. Cagalli looked at her confusedly, but the others seemed to know why the woman was laughing and went along with it.

"Oh, Kisaka, everyone here knows there's only one person whose day you'd want to know of. Given the banal state of our lives here in the forest and all, I think there's only Cagalli here who would have an interesting day, don't you all agree?"

"Yes, Cagalli, why don't you tell us how your day went?" Kira supported, grinning. "I'm sure it today was fun for you!"

Cagalli grumbled and slid down her chair a bit in an attempt to reach Kira's shin with her foot. Luckily, Kira saw what she was trying to do and moved his chair further, smiling at his sister's futile attempt to get back at him. Cagalli, growling, sat upright again and tried to smile cheerfully when she realized that all eyes were on her.

"Well," she started, directing her attention to Kisaka instead of everyone else. "Today, I tried on the bow and arrow for the first time. I got both of my targets and I think that was quite a feat."

"Quite? Cagalli, you're really great. Even your swordsmanship is at an entirely different level! I mean, considering you're a girl and all—"

"Excuse me? So what you mean to say, Sir Kira Yamato, is that a lady isn't capable of excelling in such a sport? Or perhaps it's not just that, perhaps you're extending it to the general abilities of a woman? That a woman can't match up to the skills of a man in whatever task she chooses to undergo? Does it mean that some people are simply inferior because of the circumstances of their birth, gender-wise? Is that what you mean to say, Kira? Hm, Kira? Is that it?"

"No, Cagalli! Not at all, it's just that—"

"That suddenly it's a fault for being born different from you? My apologies if I was born not a man, Kira, but I do get your point. I've never known you to be such a bigot—"

"Because I'm not, Cagalli! Geez, would you just relax and not be so serious about these things—"

Cagalli's eye twitched and for a moment, she considered throwing the knife at her very flustered brother, but despite Kira's earlier praise, she still wasn't so sure of her aim and decided it was too risqué for her to even try. So she sat still in her chair and decided that the knowledge that she could easily beat him in a rather intellectual spat.

"I think that's enough, you two," Murrue commented with a soft smile. "While I do enjoy seeing you two, err,  _get along well_ , if that's how it is, I'd prefer to end the night on a lighter note."

"Nah, don't listen to her, kids. Go on, it's entertaining," Mu encouraged with a wink of his right eye, earning him a resounding slap on his arm from his fiancée. "Or not. Well, it was nice while it was lasted."

Cagalli nodded. "Indeed. Congratulations, Kira. I've found a competent verbal sparring partner in you!"

"As much as I love you and indulging you, I'd rather not go through that again, Cagalli," Kira admitted, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "You're terrifying with words."

"If you don't mind me asking, Your Highness," Erica interrupted, raising her glass up to her lips to take a sip before continuing. "But where and when exactly did you learn such diplomatic speaking? It's admirable and inspiring, rest assured, but my curiosity of its origin isn't as satiable as I'd like it to be."

"I'd like to think that I've been speaking like this since I was younger, when my governesses taught me how to use my words properly, but I guess it's more from reading," Cagalli answered after a minute of thinking. "I had books back in the forest—now don't ask me where I got them; for the sake of my explanation, just believe that I do—which I read and read and read every day because I literally had nothing better to do."

"Ah." Erica suddenly sounded guilty that she asked such a question. "I'm sorry, Your Highness—"

"It's quite alright, Erica. As you said, it's your curiosity. There's nothing to do but sate it, is there?" Cagalli responded, taking another slice off her steak and chewing it in her mouth.

"So." Again, Kisaka's awkward voice filled the room. "What else happened today?"

"What was eventful today? Today? Ah, Kira punched poor Ahmed."

"Only because he was hitting on you, damn it!"

* * *

Cagalli didn't mind the bead of sweat rolling down the side of her face, but when her nose started to itch and she couldn't get her hand free from the ribbon tied around her wrist, she shook her head and sniffed in an attempt to quell the irritation—causing the books placed on top of her head to fall down in front of her and land on her lap.

Aggravated, she ranted, "You know, I thought that I would be free from social graces and the like when I was in the forest, but  _no_! Apparently, I have to act like a proper lady now! Erica, please, please,  _please_  tell me why I have to do this  _again_."

With a feminine laugh, the older woman walked toward the young monarch-to-be and sat on the seat next to her. Smiling, she said, "I'm not quite sure of the exact reason, Cagalli, but Kisaka's the one who asked me to be your acting governess for the duration of your stay here. I don't think you need it, but there are things you could be…better versed on."

"Like?" Cagalli asked, almost dumbfounded. "I don't understand, really—"

"And we'll get to those later on, I assure you, Cagalli," Erica continued with an awkward laugh. "But for now, we'll just be refining your manners, etiquette, and etcetera. But I don't think you need it, really. Your conduct's impeccable as is."

"I think so, too!" When Cagalli realized what she had just said, she cringed and tried to amend it by saying, "I mean I know when to act decent and  _how_  to act that way. Manna, my caretaker back in Orb, always reminded me to be proper and such that I don't know how to… _not_  be that way."

"I know what you mean," Erica replied understandingly. "It's ingrained in you…like you know nothing else. It's what I do with horses, too. I always want to take care of them—isn't that funny?"

"Speaking of horses, how's Kusanagi doing?"

"Fine, fine. He's very worn out, but not really. He's almost ten years old, isn't he?"

"I don't really know."

"In any case," Erica said excitedly. "He's eating well and gets along with the other horses in the stable. We only have ten other horses here which the men sometimes use to go around the forest to get wood and other things."

"That's nice," Cagalli commented. "Lucky him."

"I've been noticing that you two have been looking healthier. That's good, isn't it? Except…you don't get along so well with the other people here. Would you like me to explain?"

Cagalli looked taken aback. So someone  _has_  noticed. "If you don't mind," she answered, looking down shyly at her lap. She fumbled with the loose end of the red ribbon binding her as she awaited an explanation from the older woman.

"I notice you've been looking around—and since Kira wasn't here for the last three days, your loneliness is slightly more prominent. Honestly, I'm not intimidated by a little girl like you—Cagalli, I'll tell you this once: I know the truth around here, so you can trust me, okay? Do you?"

Cagalli looked up to meet the blue eyes of Erica before nodding solemnly.

"That's good. I trust you, too." Erica smiled before continuing, "As I said, I'm not intimidated by you, but the others are. The others from Orb accept the fact that you're their rightful queen, but you know, it's different from being face to face with you or having to interact with you every day. Do you understand?"

"So it doesn't have to do with how I look or anything?"

Erica laughed again. "Of course not! You're very beautiful—Ahmed, maybe, steers clear of you because of that."

Cagalli blushed and tried to hide her face. She only thought of Athrun's  _maybe_  feelings for her and how she wanted to meet him again.

Erica seemed to notice and asked warily, "Is Ahmed not good enough for our dear queen? Oh, of course, you must be engaged to someone of royal blood, right? So, was there anyone you used to fancy from the noble families of Orb?"

Cagalli shook her head vehemently in a manner not befitting for her, but still, she couldn't agree to such a notion when there was only Athrun in her heart—or so she  _thought_. She was no expert with feelings, having to deal with her own mixed ones alone for years. "There's this guy I like…I met him in the forest. He saved me and I led him back to Plants. That was the day before Kisaka found me."

"Ah," Erica replied almost tactlessly. "A boy! Which leads us to another lesson I have to teach you, Your Highness: suitors. Did you know that when I was your age, I was already married?"

"But I'm so young!" Cagalli said, clutching her fists in surprise—there were only a few things she could do, after all. "Married at seventeen—no, I think that's just right."

"It is. Some even marry at fourteen. My husband…he's in Orb, still—hopefully. My son, Ryuta—"

"Ryuta's your son?" Cagalli thought of the younger boy she saw around, playing with the other young children in the household. Of course, she should have seen the resemblance!

"Yes, and he's the thing that matters most to me," Erica said with a motherly smile gracing her young face. "And you, Cagalli, what matters most to you?"

After a minute of wistful thinking, Cagalli was about to open her mouth to respond, but there was a rapping at the door of Erica's room. They both turned their heads to find Kisaka's head peaking in.

"Is it a bad time?"

"You say it as if there's no time for us here in the safe house, Kisaka."

"Ah, right." Kisaka coughed and then said, "Well, I got a letter. They'll be arriving in an hour. Is that enough time to get her ready?"

"Get who ready?" Cagalli asked, standing from her chair. Her hands fell limply in front of her and she frowned. _Someone should really untie me soon_ , she thought to herself.

"Who else, Cagalli?" Kisaka teased with a low grunt for a laugh. "So, Erica, could you?"

"If I can prepare a horse for a pageant, I think I could do the same for an adolescent girl, don't you think?"

"But I'm not a horse—" Cagalli tried to argue, but she was already being pushed down the corridor to the bathroom with a towel and a weird bottle of… _something_.

"There's still water in there. Use that on your hair and shout when you're done!" Erica said excitedly before slamming the wooden door to her face and leaving Cagalli in the only tiled room in the cottage with a large fluffy cloth and a small jar of what she assumed to be hair product.

"Erica!" she called out.

"Yes?" The eccentric brunette's head popped out from behind the door. "Princess, I told you to call me when you're finished, not when… _oh_."

"Yeah, would you mind untying my hands?"

* * *

Cagalli sat on one of the settees in the spacious parlor. Beside her was Erica, rubbing her back when the woman probably sensed the poor princess's nerves. Cagalli tried to shake her feet, but the heels of her shoe were firmly stamped on the ground, limiting her movements. She then thought of raising her hands, but thought better—she was tied, after all, because she wouldn't sit still in her chair earlier.

She was nervous, obviously. She was to have an audience with two  _important_  people, Kisaka told her, and she didn't know what exactly to do. Converse? Perhaps, but what knowledge would she be able to share? That there were some poisonous berries in the forest?

"It'll be fine, you know," Erica encouraged. "They're a nice couple. They've helped us a lot, you know. Has Kisaka mentioned this to you?"

"I don't know. Is he the one who, um, personally knows the king?"

Erica nodded. "Now, where are they? They should be here any second now."

Just on cue, there was a knock on the door and Juri rushed to open it. Cagalli struggled to stand with her heels and Erica assisted her with an amused smile. The fabric of Cagalli's light green dress swayed beneath her, causing her to blush at the feeling of cold air reaching her legs.

"Don't be too shy, Cagalli. You're the heir to Orb and what kind of impression would you make if they just saw how deflated your ego is? Come on, you've already got the posture and manners. Just charm them," Erica whispered to her before letting her arm go to greet the guest before her.

The door opened and Kisaka stepped in and handed the lamp he used to Juri, who took it and went away to store it somewhere. After Kisaka went in, a tanned man with spikey brown hair entered with a blue-haired pale woman hanging on his arm. The three were laughing, as though one had made a joke before they entered the house.

Erica smiled and walked up to the three. She hugged the man and then kissed the cheek of the woman—showing how close she really was to the two. "Andrew, Aisha, it's nice to see you two again!"

"The same goes to you, Erica," the man—Andrew—replied with a slightly arrogant-looking grin. "How has things been around here?"

"The same. Kira was here the other day. He was supposed to come today, too, but he's been held up at the palace by…I'm not quite sure, actually. Whatever duties he has to attend to there."

"That kid's really hardworking," he chuckled. "But somehow he doesn't like me."

"You know how bashful he is. He's just being bashful about causing that scar on your eye in one of your mock duels," Erica chirped back, laughing along.

"Oh, you mean this?" He pointed to the welt above his right cheek. "Nah, Aisha says I look even more handsome with it!" He then turned to face his wife, but it seemed that she already unhooked her arm and went ahead to the parlor.

"Aisha!" he called out, and then sighed. "She was really excited to meet her, you know?"

Kisaka locked the door behind him and laughed heartily. "Everyone is. Except maybe Erica here who had no clue who she was when she first saw the princess."

"Well, excuse me for not recognizing royalty dressed so inappropriately!"

Meanwhile, in the parlor, Cagalli stood still as the woman—Aisha—scrutinized her and her outfit, muttering things to herself.

"How discourteous of me!" she suddenly called out and then did a curtsy in front of the immobile blonde. "Your Majesty, I am graced with your presence, and how you've grown! I remember you were so small and, and—how do I say this without sounding too rude, Your Highness? Never mind that thought—you're so beautiful! Such a lady, you are! I've met the Queen myself when I was a little girl and you really look like her—"

"Aisha!" Andrew scolded, a frown on his face. "Don't speak of those things to Her Highness—"

"No, it's quite alright." Cagalli finally mustered the courage to speak and move. She took a step forward and put her hand on the shoulder of the blue-haired lady. "Miss Aisha, Mother, you say?"

"She was the kindest and loveliest person anyone could have the honor of meeting. I'm sure you'll grow to be just as inspiring as her," Aisha finished with a smile. She looked back at Cagalli, her midnight blue eyes twinkling with unadulterated delight. "I remember seeing you when you were eleven. I don't think you would remember me, but I was the one to design what was supposed to be your thirteenth birthday gown."

"How could you? I don't recall you being one of the official tailors—"

"My father was one. I was apprenticing under him at a young age. I've always been interested in textile works," Aisha admitted with a shrug. Andrew walked slowly to his wife and wrapped his arm around her waist before smiling along with her. "Since Kisaka and the others rescued me from Orb, I wasn't really able to finish my years. Maybe I'll get a chance to show off a masterpiece soon. What do you say, Cagalli? When all of this drama's over, would you like the  _honor_  of showcasing my masterpiece to the world?"

"I think it's the opposite, dear," Andrew answered for the confused blonde. "I think it's  _you_  who should be honored to have someone like her— _if ever_ —to wear the piece that would prove your brilliance."

"Why, forgive me then, Your Highness," Aisha said, curtsying and lowering her head once more.

Kisaka and Erica stood silently at the back, and Cagalli looked at them accusingly—as though they  _knew_  that she wouldn't know how to handle Aisha's eccentricity. It didn't matter; Cagalli rather enjoyed Aisha's stories and she'd make the most of it. Defiantly, she held her chin up and displayed a ferocity she hadn't known she could pull off simply by slightly parting her lips and narrowing her golden eyes at a person.

"It would be my pleasure, Aisha," she said. "I'm assuming you both came from the heart of Aprilius—ten miles or so away? You came for dinner, didn't you both? We should all settle ourselves in the dining room now."

"You're right, Kisaka," Andrew whispered to the bulky former general. "She's quite the charmer."

"I just fear she'll learn how to use it to her advantage soon," he replied with a knowing smirk.

"How's Lagowe?" Erica asked as they seated themselves in the wooden chairs. "He's recovered from his sprain last month, hasn't he?"

"And here we thought Erica would actually ask us about how  _we_  were," Andrew commented, laughing as Asagi came in and put the meal—a roasted chicken—in front of their plates. "This looks good. As always, Asagi, I'll commend you for your cooking."

Cagalli watched from the corner of her eye as the blonde nodded and blushed, then scurried back into the kitchen. She laughed in inwardly, amused at her friend's humility. Cagalli smiled and looked at the adults surrounding her, as if waiting for her signal to start the meal.

"Please go ahead and eat," she said politely. "I'm waiting for my appetite to settle."

Not questioning her, the others went ahead and dug into their plates.

"Don't mind her as much. She was very nervous earlier," Kisaka said, biting off a piece of the chicken leg he took. "She's a lot to learn before she can handle people accordingly."

The rest of the meal continued in casual conversation, with Cagalli occasionally butting in to give her own regards to the more serious topics they covered—including the more recent news of Plant's prince disappearing a week ago.

"According to the official report, a bandit ambushed their carriage on their way back to Aprilius from Copernicus City. I heard he stole something precious—the late Queen Lenore's ring which he was supposed to give to Lady Lacus Clyne, his fiancée. Of course, Prince Athrun had no choice but to go after the scum. He must have been unaware of the value of the item, but to steal the Queen's ring! Only someone so low would dare try committing such a crime," Andrew finished with a stab to his piece of chicken breast.

Cagalli started to choke somewhere in the middle of Andrew's dramatic monologue and immediately took the glass next to her to swallow the food stuck in her throat. When Andrew and Kisaka stood up and took a step to her, she put her hand up, signaling she was fine.

"The chicken's just really good!" she declared. "I tried to swallow more than a spoonful at once—see where  _that_  got me, haha!"

Aisha laughed and then when she had calmed herself, whispered loud enough for the people around the table to hear, "Queen Cagalli—it really fits you, even if you're so young. Queen Cagalli, the liberator of Orb citizens— _the Goddess of Victory_."

"I remember being haunted by that title back in Orb. It's quite ironic since I didn't really bring back any victory. I was just this… _trinket_ , some sort of good luck charm sent by Haumea." Cagalli tried to recall the stories Manna and some of the other palace maids in the castle would tell her before she went to sleep—this one was the most common, how her so-called birth had brought home victory while her father was out fighting with or commanding the troops (it really depended on who was telling the story) in Ame-no-Mihashira. For her, it was weird and awkward, but perhaps the other children enjoyed the tale.

Still, Cagalli had to wonder, why she would be blessed with such a title if her so-called birth caused the death of Orb's beloved Queen Via. She knew the truth—at least parts of it from the letter her father had given her before he had died. She and Kira were twins—who were their parents, she didn't know, but she had a feeling it just wasn't King Uzumi and Queen Via.

"But you have to admit, though, it's quite a name." Andrew raised his mug which was filled of coffee he had prepared and then stood from his seat. "I propose a toast to my awesome coffee and to Cagalli."

Erica, Aisha, and Kisaka raised their own glasses and put it back down. Out of courteousness, Cagalli also put up hers and smiled meekly back.

"Long live the queen."

* * *

Cagalli sat primly on the stool in front of her mirror. A week has passed and now she's definitely noticed the changes in her.

For one, Erica was right—she  _did_  look healthier. She was still thin, but thanks to the scrumptious meals (and the generous servings she received); she wasn't as bony as she was before. Her hair was still wild, but at least now it was tamed down a bit. And she was smiling more often—her cheeks wouldn't feel so strained if she wasn't.

And after last night's dinner, Cagalli realized how important it was that she starts acting her role.

She continued to look at the mirror and couldn't help but study how  _different_  she looked wearing a lace blouse and a really puffy skirt. The embroidery was exquisite and reminiscent of the gowns she remembered wearing when she was younger. And the gloves she had on were made of a fine silk and slightly tickled her arms. She smiled, slipping them off.

_How did Aisha know this would fit me?_

There was a knock on the door and the sound interrupted her musing.  _Come in_ —she didn't know if she just thought that or if she was actually able to say it out loud. Either way, the door opened and just from the scent, she could tell who it was.

"Kira." Somehow, her smile turned into a frown. "What took you?"

"I was stuck at work, Cagalli," the brown-haired teen tried to reason, moving into the room to sit on the bed. Somehow, he felt a sense of nostalgia as they were in the same positions they were in just a few days ago. Yet, he could feel a different aura from his sister—as though his leave brought a change in her. "I'm usually quite busy, but there was a sudden influx of reports that needed to be signed by His Excellency of Plant and filed, so I couldn't just leave—"

"I hope you don't mind me asking, Kira, but what exactly do you do?"

"I'm an aide at the castle," Kira said. "I do secretarial things, but I'm a trained soldier as well. Why?"

"Of course, soldiers live such busy lives," Cagalli muttered absentmindedly, only really thinking of Athrun. Does that mean Kira knew him? Or perhaps even interacted with him on a daily basis? She wanted to ask if he knew how the prince was doing, but she thought it would cause suspicion and went with a more general question instead. "How are the affairs of Plant? All is well in their kingdom, I hope."

"Fine, yes. King Patrick's an excellent ruler," Kira answered, doubtful. He could only see his sister's back and when he saw how stiff her posture was, thought that he could ease her by massaging her shoulders, but when he reached for her, she immediately flinched and Kira retracted his arm. "Cagalli, what's gotten into you? Have you been alright?"

Cagalli bit her lip. "Yes, I've been well."

"I'm sorry I didn't come back earlier. I'm usually busy back in the castle anyway. I forgot to consider that you might be waiting for me here—"

"I said it's okay, Kira." Cagalli didn't know why she was acting so coldly to him. "I think…I think I'm ready to talk to you now. About everything, maybe."

"Are you sure?" Kira asked; Cagalli nodded.

"After the coup five years ago...I'll start there. Kisaka tried to get me away, to safety in Plant, but he died—or so I thought, and I didn't want to go to Plant, so I stayed in the forest. You couldn't blame me for choosing that, could you? I actually wanted to go to Plant after that, but I didn't know what I would do, so. So, there. For five years, I lived alone.

"Now, the letter—Father left me a letter and it was in the bag Kisaka prepared for me. I couldn't understand anything at first. Or maybe I did, but I was too shocked to get it through properly. I was too young back then. What did he write in that letter? Not much, really. It was very rushed. Just told me to be strong and to never forget Orb and him. That I should find you so that I'd never be alone because if I was with you, I'd be with my brother.

"Imagine how that tortured me so during the five years I was by myself, Kira. Knowing that my father died and…thinking that I could've lost  _you_ , too. I just felt so…alone."

"You don't have to be alone anymore, Cagalli. Not ever again, I promise." Kira bit his lip down and tried to sniff back whatever was accumulating in his nose. He was not going to cry  _now_ , of all possible times, but he felt so much emotion when it came to his sister, and he couldn't simply brush those familial feelings off. "Damn it, Cagalli, I promised to never cry again, but you're making me cry and—"

Cagalli stifled a giggle. "I've always known you to be such a crybaby, Kira. You didn't change at all."

"It's nice to feel you back, Cagalli," Kira stated with a breath of relief and a tear rolling down his cheek. "Damn, this is the last time you'll see me like this, Cagalli—"

Kira's words were cut off when Cagalli turned around from her chair and threw herself at Kira, pushing them both on the bed. Kira was surprised, naturally, but he soon returned his sister's embrace and ran circles on her back to calm her down from her sobbing and hiccups.

After a few minutes, Cagalli finally lifted her head from Kira's chest and pushed herself to his side, grabbing his hand and putting it on her cheek before continuing, "You know, Kira, I don't recognize you. Not really. You're so grown up and I feel like I missed out on so much."

"You could speak for yourself, Cagalli. You're so beautiful now," Kira muttered with a smile to his sister. "That's not to say that the princess wasn't pretty back then. I wish I had grown up with you."

"You grew up in Plant then, I assume?"

"I was on my way back to Orb for our birthday, but then we saw people running away. They warned us to not cross the border because it wasn't safe. I went back to Copernicus and I met with my best friend, and I told him what I saw. His father wrote him a letter telling him that Orb was taken over, so we went back to Plants together.

"Not much has happened to me since then. Kisaka found me while I was doing something in Maius City. He was looking for you there, and I helped him in the rest of the cities—but you were nowhere. We were both so scared, Cagalli. But…somehow, he knew where you were and that you were safe. He said he did that and that you'd find your way back when the time was right—"

"Do I look like a damned dog to him?" Cagalli scoffed, squeezing Kira's fingers. "So this means me being here is…it's like the work of the fates?"

"Ruling Orb is your destiny. I personally don't believe in those things, but…I guess it's inevitable that you'll take on the throne. I don't know how you'll win, but know that we'll be here and we'll fight for you. Like your own personal army."

"I thought Kisaka was enough when I was younger. Father thought so, too, since he was the only one in charge of protecting me."

"Well, back in Orb, you didn't really have to worry about anything, did you? The people adored you. That's why you were allowed to roam around the village—because you needn't worry about all those bad things," Kira said with a light chuckle. "Your life was so perfect back then, wasn't it?"

"And when I had to learn about those bad things by myself, Kira? What's exactly is blissful about ignorance?" Cagalli turned her head to look at her twin. "Doesn't it make it all the more difficult when you learn of the truth?"

"I guess you're right," Kira replied uneasily, scratching his head with his free hand. "Don't be so negative  _now_ , Cagalli. I'm trying to be happy while I'm with you, geez."

"I think I understand you better now, Kira. It's like…things make sense when I'm with you. No matter how you put your ideas into words, I'd find a way to figure out what it means," Cagalli commented and closed her eyes, breathing in deeply before exhaling and sitting up, dragging along Kira with her. "You don't know how thankful I am for that."

"I think…I think I understand you better now, too, Cagalli," Kira said, frowning at the realization. "And I think I know  _why_  you were looking at the mirror. I haven't seen much, but I don't know. I think it's because...you look like her. That's it, isn't it? You look so much like her."

"Like who?"

"Queen Via."

_End of Chapter Five_


	6. Alone Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heavy Lies The Crown: Chapter Six  
> by tyrantsandcreampuffs
> 
> I don't know where I'm going but I don't think I'm coming home.  
> And I said I'll check in tomorrow if I don't wake up dead.  
> This is the road to ruin and we're starting at the end.
> 
> Song of the Chapter: Alone Together by Fall Out Boy.

"I'm fine, Kira." The blonde's words resonated resolutely in her small room. She glared at her twin who was sitting at the end of her bed. "Really, can you just give it a rest?"

"No," Kira replied, a small frown etching his face. "You have a fever; you're the one who needs to rest!"

To say that Cagalli was royally pissed was an understatement. "Rest? Excuse you, I have been doing nothing but lie down in this bed for the past three days! I've been trapped in this house for the past month! I've been doing nothing—absolutely nothing—of interest!"

"As opposed to what?" The purple-eyed twin immediately countered. "You doing nothing of interest in the forest? At least here you are safe! At least you are well fed and you have the company of people—your former subjects, your  _future_  subjects! It's not true that you've been doing nothing, Cagalli. You have been learning, training—and this is just the beginning of your fight to reclaim Orb."

Cagalli had to admit that Kira's solemn speech was true. She had been living with the rest of the refugees for almost a month now, and during that time, she was reminded of her old lessons about her country and how to supposedly rule it—and having all that old knowledge brought back, and adding at least five books worth of new information, gave her a migraine so terrible that she had to stay in bed for the past few days. Still, her pride would not let her lose their argument, so she still fought back.

"But the constraint is just too much for me to handle," she said quietly, not shouting anymore. "Not just as a supposed ruler, but as a human. I'm just a seventeen year old girl and already I have to bear the burden of a nation at war with itself."

At that, Kira softened and his frown turned into a small grimace. He knew that that, too, was true. He chuckled. "We're both turning eighteen in a few days. Asagi and the others will be preparing a small feast for us—but really, more for you."

She let out a small giggle as well. "What can I say? Their cooking is the best I've had in years. I've lived off of mostly fruits in the forest, so having meat served in every meal I have is still sort of an oddity to me."

"You haven't told me much about your adventures in the forest."

"I'm afraid there isn't really much to tell."

Kira frowned again. "As your brother, I should know."

"You should know what? There really is nothing to know!" Cagalli answered defensively as she pulled her sheet past her shoulders and almost covering her jaw. Her eyebrows were furrowed as she glared some more at her only remaining blood relative. But after a few breaths, she gave in anyway. "Really, Kira, there's nothing much. I was alone, I made a home out of a spacious, abandoned den which I assume foxes used to live in. I had berry bushes nearby so that I'd never have to go hungry; I took Kusanagi out for rides in the forest where you could never get tired of the ever changing view. Sometimes the birds were on branches, other times they weren't. Every day there was a part of the forest to be explored, discovered."

"So did you manage to memorize the whole place?" Kira asked, genuinely curious.

"No, that's impossible when the trees all look the same," Cagalli said, shrugging her shoulders. "I had a compass in the bag Kisaka left me, so I used that."

Kira smiled fondly at his twin. Despite being separated for the last five years and not knowing that they were blood-related, it was comforting for him to know that at least now they were closer than before, and that she trusted him enough to tell her about what she felt. Cagalli was always willing to impose her ideologies on other people, but when it came to her actual feelings, she would keep it in for the longest time.

"Thank you for telling me those," he said, still smiling at his sister.

"It's nothing," Cagalli waived off dismissively and gave her twin a toothy grin. "It's your turn, then. You haven't told me about what you've been up to these past years."

"Well," Kira started, thinking out loud. "I help around in the palace as a secretary. Running around, doing paperwork, chasing signatures. That's what I mostly do, but I'm also technically part of Zaft."

Cagalli narrowed her golden eyes. "As a soldier?"

Kira chuckled. "No, I'm more of a secretary, really. Tons of reports need collecting and filing, so I just hang around with papers all day." At that, he noticed that Cagalli was still holding her breath. "If ever they do go to war, I don't think they'd immediately place me on the field. They're not too keen on having refugees from another country fight for Plant."

"Because there's the fear of betrayal," Cagalli said understandingly. She sat up in her bed and straightened her back against the headboard. "Admittedly, I wouldn't want anyone not from Orb to be involved if we plan to take back the throne somehow. I don't even know how that's possible."

"You have us," Kira reassured her. "And once we're all set, Kisaka will send out word to those who have pledged to help our cause—the refugees here in Plant that Kisaka helped to escape Orb."

"But they don't need to," Cagalli countered with a pout, crossing her arms childishly. "They're living peacefully in Plant now. They have no reason to risk their newfound peace and possibly lose their lives in the process. I won't stand for that."

The brunette couldn't help but sigh. It was very typical of his sister to keep the civilians in mind, but he knew that she knew that Orb was in a civil war. It was inevitable for civilians to be involved. "And you? Would you risk the peace you have here now? You have a new life here; you don't need to get involved—"

"I do!" Cagalli cut him off, her voice cracking slightly. "It's different for me! My father entrusted Orb to me and it is my duty to not let it fall into ruins simply because I found peace elsewhere!"

"No, it's not different. You have a reason to fight, and so do they," Kira spoke gently, not matching her shouts of defense with his own. "You're forgetting that their homes were taken away from them. They had friends and family in Orb, too."

Cagalli simply stared at her twin, not knowing what to say next. She had envisioned it all: staying up late at night with the adults to discuss their possible plans, her continued training to get better if ever she has to go into battle, and then somehow getting back on the throne and fixing the damage that had been done. She had also imagined the other possibility where she loses—though that had been the cause of her nightmares every other day.

She continued to think over what Kira had just said, and when she didn't respond for more than a minute, Kira spoke, "Well, it's getting rather late, and I should get back to Plant."

"You're not staying for the night?"

"Nah," he dismissed. "I just need to wake up early tomorrow because I may have put off some paperwork. Why, is my little sister going to miss me?"

The princess glared. "I'm older than you."

Kira chuckled and threw his riding cloak at her direction. Cagalli caught it with one hand and stared at the almost worn fabric. "You can keep that for now if you're going to miss me so much. That's hand-sewn by the royal tailor, a gift from my last birthday. It's nice, isn't it?"

"What am I supposed to do with this? Aisha made me a new one," she said confusedly.

"Keep it until I go back. Which will probably be in a few days," he answered and then made a move to get up from her bed. "Take care of yourself, okay? Don't strain yourself too much or else you'll collapse again."

"I already told you, Kira," Cagalli sighed and slid back into her bed, nuzzling the back of her head onto the soft pillow. "I'm fine."

* * *

It was just an hour or so before dawn when Cagalli crept out of her room and snuck into the stables. This was technically the first time she went outside since she had that major headache. Cagalli knew that this was the only time no one guarded the safe house from the outside, and took this opportunity to escape. She had packed the new cloak Aisha had given her, a few provisions, and some other materials she thought she could be able to use for her own little den in the middle of the forest. Cagalli knew that her leaving wasn't in anyone's best interests—except maybe, for herself. She knew she was being selfish, but she just needed to  _breathe_.

Cagalli spotted Kusanagi at the stables and went towards him. She smiled at her oldest companion and ran her hand through the horse's mane while he gave a soft neigh. Cagalli smiled and whispered, "Are you ready for another long trip, Kusanagi?"

She walked to the side and got a saddle, positioning it onto her horse's back. Before she could leap up to ride him, Cagalli heard the door of the stables, swing open.

A womanly chuckle resonated in the small barn. "Going out for a morning stride, I see."

Cagalli didn't have to turn around to know who it was. "Erica. What a surprise to see you here."

"Is it surprising, really?" Erica asked, somewhat bemused. "I'm here every morning, feeding these horses, making sure none of them got a fever overnight. But I'm sure you should already know that by now, hm?"

When Cagalli didn't reply, Erica continued, "With a bag like that, though, I'm not sure if you were just planning to go take old Kusanagi for a short walk."

Cagalli grimaced, her honesty and openness getting the better of her. "I just need to get away from this all."

"You mean knowing you have responsibilities to attend to?"

"No, I spent the last five years thinking and knowing of them," Cagalli admitted. "So it's not that. I guess it's just…I can't really handle it right now. People bowing, curtseying to me in the corridor; giving me the special treatment—I remember hating all of that when I was younger, but I only played along because Father insisted. But now…"

"You see no reason to," Erica finished for her with a small smile. "Or at least, you don't see a reason to yet."

"But I do!" Cagalli argued, her hold on Kusanagi's saddle tightening. "I think of all of my people in Orb, of how I have to liberate them, of how useless I am to them right now."

"And you think you'll be helping anyone by returning to the middle of the forest, where it's dangerous for you?"

"I can help myself," Cagalli sighed, finally getting on Kusanagi's back. "I have for the last five years. I'll be back when my head's clearer."

Erica sighed at how persistent the princess was proving herself to be. She had heard stories from Kisaka, and in the month Cagalli spent with the rest of the refugees, Erica noticed the princess's stubborn streak whenever Kisaka wanted her to have some sort of lesson, or whenever Mu was too lazy to train her with sword-fighting. All in all, the princess always wanted to go do things her way, and Erica decided that there was no point in delaying Cagalli further.

"Alright," Erica acquiesced, shocking Cagalli. "If you think you're well enough for it. You've been sick for the past few days, haven't you?"

The blonde nodded.

"I'll let you go," the brunette sighed defeatedly. "But I think you shouldn't take poor old Kusanagi."

Cagalli raised one of her golden eyebrows. "And who do you suggest I take? I'm sure not one of these horses knows the forest as well as Kusanagi or I do."

"Akatsuki might," Erica answered after some thinking. "He's a quick learner, potentially the fastest one from this lot. I think you'll like each other."

"Oh," Cagalli's resolve faltered for a moment, considering everything she had gone through with her horse. Kusanagi was the same horse that carried her and Kisaka away from Orb, the same horse that was her only friend for five long years, somewhat keeping her sanity with his company. She didn't want to leave Kusanagi behind, but then he deserved the rest with Kisaka. She bent her body and reached for the bridge on the horse's face, gently stroking it. "Do you want to be left behind, Kusanagi?"

The horse cried in response, gently shaking his head in understanding.

"But you do need your rest," Cagalli continued softly. "We've been through so much together."

With mixed feelings of apprehension and guilt, Cagalli dismounted off Kusanagi, the horse still continuing to whinny in protest. When Cagalli closed the door to the horse's stable, she could only smile fondly back at the not so pleased horse.

"You be a good boy now for Kisaka, okay?" she said to the horse before turning her back to him.

Cagalli followed Erica further into the stables and stopped in front of a horse with a beautifully trimmed golden mane that was a similar shade to her own hair. The horse was smaller than Kusanagi, and definitely younger. Cagalli estimated the horse to be around two to three years old, showing off its strength with its youth.

"This is Akatsuki," Erica said proudly, looking at the horse. "Mu's the one who trained him, so this horse knows all that it should."

"Okay," Cagalli agreed, walking closer to the horse, saddle in hand.

"Let me, Princess," Erica offered with a smile. Cagalli, seeing no point in wasting time as the sun was bound to be up soon, handed over the saddle to the horse expert.

"Thank you so much," Cagalli replied with a small smile of her own. "For everything you've done for me so far. Truly, I mean it."

Erica shrugged as she secured all of the latches. "It's an honor for me to serve Orb's—"

"P-please, don't—" Cagalli interrupted, stuttering a bit. "I am not royalty. Not anymore."

"You mean you don't think you are, yet." Erica grinned, letting go of the horse. "But you should know that you are. I already told you before that you are the princess—no, the queen of Orb. You always will be. Not only to me, but also to those who know that you are the rightful heir to the throne—though they may not know you're still alive. We all believe in you, Cagalli. I do."

Cagalli, not wanting to display weakness, hugged Erica before any tears fell from her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered again, and the older woman patted the princess's back.

One rooster was heard crowing in the distance, which was Cagalli's signal to go. Pulling back from Erica's hug, she put up the hood of Kira's cloak over her head and jumped onto Akatsuki's back. Breathing in deeply, she pulled at the reins, urging the horse to go out. Once they were out of the stables, they left the vicinity of the safe house as quickly as they could.

When Erica finished feeding all of the horses, which was at least half an hour after she let Cagalli escape the safe house, she went back inside to find everyone worked up and screaming.

Especially Kisaka.

"Where in Haumea's good name is she?" he shouted at the younger boy, Ahmed. The boy quivered in fear and could not even voice a response. Grunting, Kisaka turned to another, older man and asked the same question.

After about five more rounds of his interrogations, Erica decided to speak up.

"There's a horse not in his stable," she said, almost nonchalantly. "I think she might have taken it—"

"Did she take Kusanagi?" he yelled at her, but then paused to apologize. "Did she?"

Mu piped in. "The golden horse? He's a stunner and the fastest one there. If ever she left with him early in the morning, it would probably take us a long while to catch up to her."

Murrue looked up to her fiancé, also concerned for the princess's wellbeing. "If you'll go after her, I'll come with you."

Sighing, Kisaka massaged the bridge of his nose. "There'd be no point. She'd probably just go back to that tree she likes to think of as her home."

"You're not even considering the fact that she might have been abducted?" Erica asked pointedly at the former general.

Kisaka shook his head in response. "No, she would have definitely put up a fight. As opposed to her escaping—Haumea knows she's light on her feet and can escape without detection."

"So you're letting her go?" Mu also asked, crossing his arms. He wasn't pleased with the princess's actions, but then again, no one in the safe house was. "Just like that?"

Kisaka sighed for the umpteenth time. "Just like that."

"Kira's coming back tonight, Kisaka," Murrue pointed out. "I'm sure he's not going to be amused that his sister ran away."

Then, groaning, Kisaka started to pray.

* * *

As soon as Athrun woke up, he already found Kira waiting on the other side of his door.

"Kira, what are you doing out there?" Athrun asked sharply, only slightly bothered by the presence of his best friend outside his chambers. "It's barely dawn. We don't have any sort of military drill today, do we?"

"No," Kira said, and Athrun immediately saw the concern laced in his friend's tone. "But I felt something was wrong, so I'm here to ask for the next few days off."

"It's your birthday tomorrow."

"I know, I know. It's also—no, nevermind," Kira stopped, almost mentioning Cagalli's name out loud. Deep down, he could tell that there was something off, and it had been eating him from the inside since he had woken up—which was just an hour ago. He had immediately rushed to Athrun's chambers to personally ask for a leave. One could say it was an instinct of some sort or that magical ability to connect to his twin, but Kira just  _knew_  there was something different—something he had also felt a year before.

"Didn't you also ask for a leave on your birthday last year, Kira?" Athrun asked, wondering if it really was a year since Kira had last asked for a leave of this sort with the same kind of anxiety.

Kira tried to cover this up. "Yeah, I guess I'm always sick this time of the year. Must be all the flowers here in Plant. Your harvest is nice and yummy and all, but I think it's doing something to my system."

"Or perhaps it's the excitement of being eighteen years of age," Athrun chuckled, and Kira dared to join him in his light mirth.

"Perhaps. But even so, may I?" Kira asked again.

Athrun didn't even think twice. "Of course. Think of it as your birthday gift—separate from the one I'm actually giving you."

"Thank you!" Kira shouted and immediately dashed out of the hallway, the guards nearby jumping in surprise. Athrun could only assume that he had gone to the stables and rode off to—well, wherever he was planning on going. Kira always did his job and covered well for the prince, so Athrun couldn't not say no when Kira asked for a break.

The young prince closed the door behind him and walked back inside his bedroom chambers, sitting down on the side of his bed and closing his eyes.

It's been around a month—no, more than a month since he had met that blonde girl. What was her name again? Cagalli. Yula. CagalliYula, some sort of refugee, outcast from Orb who lived in the forests. A week after he had met her, he was still in some sort of delusional state, wondering if she was some sort of forest spirit or fairy or some sort of magical creature that he had dreamt up to justify wandering into the forest to temporarily eschew his arranged marriage to Lacus.

Maybe that had been it, but then the next week, he had reread the official report at least thirty times and—no, Cagalli was definitely real.

She had to be, Athrun decided then, because he didn't want to think he had feelings for someone who was simply a figment of his imagination.

The ruby ring was still in the pouch, and it was in the drawer of the small desk he kept beside his bed. Since he got home on that day, he didn't bother to take it out, somewhat afraid to lose it after knowing how it had looked on her hand, how he had the very bizarre urge to keep it there.

Athrun was afraid he had fallen in love with the girl who was hardly a girl.

"Love," Athrun scoffed at himself, deciding to finally open the drawer and pull out the ring from inside the pouch. He laid on his bed as he clutched the ring on his chest, trying to recall the details of Cagalli's face—but he was slowly forgetting them every day that he didn't see her. He wondered if she remembered himas well.

The only thing he truly remembered was her hazel eyes.

He derided himself yet again. "I don't love her—"

"I imagine you do not."

Athrun quickly sat up and saw his childhood friend turned fiancée standing by his door. Clutching the ring even tighter in his grasp, he gathered his composure and began to stand on his feet.

"Lacus," he acknowledged her presence in his room. "The guards let you in?"

She smiled her perpetual smile. "Why, are you surprised that they did?"

Reminding himself that she was his fiancée, he mentally scolded himself. "Right. Of course. Well, Lacus." He paused just to clear his throat. "To what may I owe the pleasure of your company here in my chambers?"

Lacus blushed, slowly catching onto the indecency of his statement. When Athrun saw the slight red tint on her cheeks, he scolded himself yet again.

"I mean, Lacus," he started, but the pink-haired lady had already put a hand up to stop him.

"I was knocking outside for quite a while. I sought you at your office, but when I saw you weren't there, I went to the stables, hoping to catch you there, but there was only Kira and I saw just how distressed he seemed to be, so I had talked to him for a second," she began to explain, still eloquent in her speech, yet at the same time undeniably nervous. "And he told me, Kira did, that there were family matters he needed to attend to. Then, he rode off in his horse without another word."

"Family matters?" Athrun questioned, knowing that Kira was raised in an orphanage. "You mean the caretakers in the orphanage back in Orb?"

Lacus nodded. "I'm not entirely sure of this, but I do not know who else he would consider family."

"You don't think he went to Orb by himself, do you?" Athrun asked Lacus, even though he knew they were thinking the same thing. When Lacus did not respond, he continued, "That—he's crazy! If he thinks he can waltz into Orb when there is a  _war_  happening inside it, then he's insane!"

"What do we do now, Athrun?" Lacus queried, her light blue eyes glistening with the slightest tears. "If Kira did go to Orb on his own, then he might as well have taken his life."

"I'll stop him. How long ago was it since he left the stables?"

"I suppose it's been at least half an hour," Lacus said, her tears for his best friend almost threatening to spill over her light lids. "Please, Athrun, if anything were to happen to Kira, I—"

And despite both of their concern for the brown-haired lad, he was able to pull off a slight smile, his right fist still gripping the ring. "I understand how you feel, Lacus."

Athrun got his riding gear from his closet and after sparing a brief glance at the nicely wrapped sword that was supposed to be his gift for his best friend, put them over his clothes. As he tightened the strap of his left glove, Lacus walked up to him and put her own gloved hand over his cheek. Athrun barely registered what she was doing before she tiptoed her way up and placed her lips on the slight crease on his forehead.

"Come back to me safely," Lacus whispered softly,a moment of vulnerability showing the frailty of her being. But it was different from when she asked him to come back to her in the forest. This time, it was Kira she had lost, and as Athrun knew that she loved his best friend so, there was something else in her tone. "Both you and Kira. Please, come back to Plant."

Athrun nodded; Lacus stepped back.

"Tell my father, King Patrick, that I am out on business in another city, but don't tell him of my actual whereabouts, even if he asks. Tell him I'll be back in a few days, I don't know when—give me at least a day." The prince fastened up the last of his buttons of his red coat and returned the ring to its pouch, protectively keeping it in his pocket. "And if I don't come back by tomorrow, you can tell him where I am."

Lacus merely nodded, taking note of all his instructions.

"Take care while Kira and I aren't here, alright?"

"I will," Lacus answered, slowly raising the sleeve of her dress to wipe at the sides of her eyes.

Athrun, acknowledging her for the last time, opened the heavy wooden doors to his chambers and ran out, only stopping to get a few provisions from the kitchens before rushing to the stables and hastily yet carefully strapping on the saddle to the back of one of his horses, Aegis. He had not felt the same sense of urgency and determination since the events with the blonde brigandine a month ago. And like the ring he was now carrying in his pocket, he was also getting his best friend back from the forest.

* * *

It was at least an hour since Kira had left the Zala castle in Plant, when he arrived in front of the safe house. Not even bothering to tie Strike, his horse, in the stables, Kira jumped off and knocked on the front door, his rapping on the heavy wood sounded so pressing that Asagi was dazed when Kira rushed past her when she opened the door just slightly.

"Where is she?" Kira asked rather loudly. The four adults—Kisaka, Erica, Mu, and Murrue—wincing when they heard him. They were all sitting in the parlor, discussing some matter with heavy faces, but when Kira had burst in, they paused to look at the poor brunette. "Where is my sister?"

"We weren't expecting you to come so early, Kira," Mu said with his trademark cheeky grin. "You're about ten hours too early, kid."

"Where is she?" Kira asked again, his heartbeat still quite erratic as his brain was wired to have too much concern for his twin. "Where is Cagalli?"

Kisaka, deciding that it was no good to hide it from Kira, simply said, "You're two hours too late."

"She left?" Kira asked, his purple eyes wide and his fists clenching. "She left? You let the princess of Orb, the only rightful heir to the throne, leave? You let her go from your clutches, just when you got her back?"

"Technically, we have known of her location for a while," Murrue interrupted sternly, not liking the burst of emotions from the teenage boy. "And we all know that she's going back to that little den of hers in the forest. She's not going anywhere else."

Kira turned around and punched the wall nearest to him—strong enough to make a thump, but not hard enough to cause damage to either the wooden surface or his fist. And then he swiveled back to face them, his resolve seen in the dark flecks of his eyes. "I'm going after her."

Before he could step out of the house, Kisaka's loud, low voice resonated around the small room with his firm  _no_.

"No?" Kira dared to face the old general with his own rage. "I don't think you understand. Cagalli's been traumatized since you left her in that forest! She's had no one with her for the past five years other than her horse—how she got near Plant, I don't know, but you shouldn't have let her go! She's probably just scared of all these new people, and it's understandable since she only talked to ghosts for the longest time! You don't let her run away because she's scared! She's going to be the queen, and you let her go for such a petty thing—"

"It's not a petty thing," Erica decided to speak up, also irritated with how brash Kira was being. "Your arguments are reasonable, but in the end, it should be  _her_  choice. And if Cagalli is going to be queen like you said—like we all believe—then we have to start respecting her decisions, no matter how much we don't like or agree with them."

"But still," Kira continued to argue, his faith in his reasoning not wavering. "She doesn't deserve to be alone anymore."

This seemed to affect Kisaka the most as he looked as if he was now actually considering going after Cagalli, but Erica was determined to defend the young royal.

"I saw her this morning at the stables. She said she will return when her head is clearer," she finally admitted, and tried to shrug off the surprised looks on the faces of the three other adults. "Don't look at me like that; we already agreed that her decision is the best for herself and it will help her even—"

"Help her what?" Kira immediately cut her off with a harsh glare. "She's been out there for the last five years—that is more than ample time for her to think of whatever she wants! In fact, we should be more than thankful to Haumea for not letting Cagalli lose her sanity out there! To throw her back into the forests! What would that accomplish?"

"Kira." This time it was Murrue addressing him. "We do not have to reiterate our decision and that of the princess's as well. She has gone off but will return—and safely, I'm sure, as she knows the heart of the forest better than any of us."

"And if you go out and chase her now," Mu continued in the place of his fiancée. "Well, we'll have you bound before you can get to your horse."

 _Damn_ , Kira thought but didn't curse out loud. He glared at the three adults and instead walked up the stairs—which led to Cagalli's room. His steps were heavy and loud, most likely disturbing the occupants in the other rooms, but Kira did not care at all. He needed a place to calm down or else he would actually attempt to run after her despite the warnings of the adults, and the only place where he could do that was in the room of his twin sister, where he was so sure she could have been secure in when he saw her in the safe house.

But it still wasn't enough for her; he should have known that the little lioness of Orb could not be caged in some house so easily. But if there was the promise that she was going to come back, he would wait.

If Cagalli said she would do anything for Orb, Kira knew that he would do anything for his sister.

* * *

Cagalli decided to exit the forest and enter the trade route around an hour after she left the safe house. She thought that if they ever chased her, it would take them longer since they would assume that she passed through the forest completely. About two hours after that, she stopped for about fifteen minutes to catch up her breath and drink some water.

Still on the horse's back, Cagalli agreed with Erica about how fast Akatsuki was. She estimated that she had at least a five mile lead if they chased after her right away, but they didn't, so she slowed down at least forty miles away from the safe house, and went into a comfortable pace.

Relaxing her very tense shoulders and massaging her sore arms, she jumped off Akatsuki and went to sit under the shade of one tall tree. Grabbing a few berries from a nearby bush, she popped two into her mouth at the same time and bit into them, the juices spreading out into her mouth.

"Mmhm," Cagalli hummed, noting the sweetness of the berries. And then, she sighed. "I haven't been this physically tired since—"

Since she was running from Athrun.

He was the prince of his kingdom—and soon, the king with that pink-haired lady in the carriage standing by him as his queen. Once upon a time, it might have been plausible for her to encourage such thoughts of marrying another royal from another kingdom. After all, her mother, Queen Via, was the daughter of some unknown viscount from the The Alliance , and her father was the prince of Orb. It always happened—nobles marrying nobles, so naturally Cagalli thought that she was going to marry someone of royal blood as well.

But that surely wasn't going to happen in the future. Or at least Cagalli saw herself dying in the name or Orb before having a family of her own.

It was this kind of scary thinking that Cagalli was trying to avoid—and that's why she ran away.

Laying there under the tree with no one else around for miles, the blonde princess decided to rest for just a while longer. She extended her limbs and planted herself comfortably on the ground, closing her eyes as another wave of wind passed by and pulled at her tresses.

She was only around twenty miles from the middle of the route between Orb and Plant, and just a few more minutes of rest was what she needed.

* * *

Two and a half hours after riding at full speed, Athrun still had no sight of Kira. His mind began wondering if it was just Lacus's and his paranoia that made them think that Kira went to Orb. Would he really have done that? Athrun knew for sure that he was well aware of the civil war going on inside of Orb—after all, he was also present during important meetings as Athrun's aide, and thus Kira knew everything Athrun also knew about the happenings in Orb.

But would he really have risked his own life to deal with some  _family issues_  more than a hundred miles away from Plant?

Maybe, because they both knew Kira could be an emotional wreck when it came to it, but he seemed to be stable enough when he came to Athrun that morning.

He should have caught up to Kira by now—but where the hell was he? Athrun was almost at the middle of the trade route, but there was not even a sign of anyone around for miles. Athrun was starting to seriously consider that it was really just his fear of losing his closest friend that was feeding his paranoia.

He could almost laugh at himself. Why did he think Kira would do that? He would never do something so drastic without informing his best friend. He just wouldn't.

But Lacus wouldn't have been so scared without reason—other than her obvious affections for Kira, of course. Athrun feels even worse now, knowing that he had let Kira go this morning without even asking where he was going or what he was planning to do with the leave he gave him. But still, no—Athrun kept thinking of possibilities that could justify Kira's abrupt leave.

Could it really have been the excitement of turning eighteen?

At this point, Athrun got off the back of Aegis and stretched out his legs; the horse did the same. He loosened the top buttons of his coat, the small beads of sweat lining his collarbone glistening in the morning sun. He breathed deeply, his head reeling from the long ride.

He looked ahead of him and it was a good fifty meters before a sharp curve on the road, the mountainside blocking the view of the continuing path. He took in another deep breath. After taking out some rope and using it to tie his horse to a tree, he lay down in a separate tree as Aegis ate some grass.

Athrun closed his eyes. His mind drifted to the short conversation he had with Kira this morning.

" _Didn't you also ask for a leave on your birthday last year, Kira?"_

" _Yeah…"_

Kira had no other family Athrun knew of other than the others in the orphanage somewhere in Heliopolis. Athrun had met the other children when they visited Copernicus—Tolle, Miriallia, and Sai, among others. He also remembered the caretaker of those children, Aunt Caridad, the one Kira fondly called Mother in his many stories. Other than those people, he couldn't think of anyone else. Kira didn't involve himself in any orphanage while in Plant. The closest family to adopt him was the Clynes—and even then, Lacus didn't know where Kira was heading to.

" _Love… I don't love her—"_

" _I imagine you do not."_

What did Lacus mean by that? Athrun wondered at this. Did she think he was referring to her? Or did she know that there was someone else—

Cagalli wasn't really someone else. She was…she was  _someone_.

He groaned, his eyes still closed. Athrun didn't know what to make of all these thoughts.

* * *

When Cagalli opened her eyes, she didn't expect fifteen minutes of rest turn into one hour, but she was  _tired_ , and the throbbing in her head was worse as she was struggling to keep her eyes open. There was another kind of pain she was feeling, and it didn't seem to be going away anytime soon.

She stood up—or at least, she tried to. Cagalli's ankles felt weak and before she could fall, Akatsuki galloped the short distance to support her. She thanked the horse silently and started to hoist herself up to Akatsuki's back, her foot missing the stirrup twice before she could sit properly. The horse was more than reluctant to move, sensing the condition Cagalli was in, but still the princess kept tugging at the reins, insisting that they get a move on.

But really, Cagalli didn't feel well at all—she knew this, but couldn't see a reason why. Was her migraine coming back? No, this was something else entirely.

"Come on, Akatsuki," she whispered softly to the horse, her voice straining more with every word that passed through her lips. "We need to get out of here."

The horse grunted and stomped its hind legs as if protesting, but Cagalli wouldn't have that. At least fifteen minutes at full speed and she could be back in her comfy den where none of her royal worries could bother her. The princess grit her teeth and determinedly clutched onto the reins. She shouted once, and Akatsuki understood and began to run.

Cagalli struggled to stay on the saddle, her grip on the reins loosening and her legs numbing. Her eyes threatened to close almost every second, and her headache was getting worse and worse. But still, Cagalli held on, clinging to the hope that she could escape once more.

* * *

Athrun's eyes opened as soon as he heard a gruff shout from the other side of the curve on the road. He sprang up to his feet and ran to Aegis and jumped on to the horse's back skillfully, commanding him to start running. At the thought that it could be Kira on the other side, Athrun rode the horse at full speed—and when he did turn the corner, he couldn't believe his luck.

"Kira!" he yelled out, but he wasn't sure if Kira did hear him. So again, he shouted his friend's name. "Kira, stop!"

Despite his callings, Kira wouldn't turn around to face him—but Athrun was sure that it was indeed his best friend because that was his riding cloak. Aegis kept at his speed, but understood his master's request to go faster and attempted to catch up to the other golden horse ahead of them.

But once Athrun and Aegis were fifteen meters behind them, the other rider slipped off the saddle and fell right to the ground, his body rolling over a couple of time.

Athrun gasped and halted his horse, jumping off hastily and running to his friend. "No, Kira!" he shouted again as he knelt down. He was reluctant to move the body, not knowing the physical trauma the impact could have caused. Instead, the body rolled from its side and the hood fell down, revealing golden tresses instead of brown ones, and hazel eyes instead of purple orbs.

It was Cagalli. His heart leapt from his chest and before he could even express his happiness over finding her again, she was convulsing on the ground.

She wasn't the same lively blonde he had met in the forest last month. No, instead she was a more fragile creature—red drops of blood oozing over her right temple, her lips trembling, her eyes getting hazy, and her face losing most of its color and matching the natural paleness of Lacus's skin.

" _Cagalli_?" he whispered her name, wiping away the mixed sweat and blood away from her forehead with his cloak. Athrun relished in the fact that he was saying her name again after almost a month of keeping it to himself, and that she was actually with him again. But when he brushed the cloth over her forehead, he felt the heat of her face. "You have a fever—what were you thinking riding like that when you're obviously not well?"

If she found it difficult to keep her eyes open a while ago, now it was almost impossible to keep herself awake. Cagalli thought she was delusional, seeing Athrun in the middle of the trade route. It was Athrun, the prince of Plant! What were the chances of him being there right when she was—or more importantly, right when she needed someone there?

"Athrun?" she asked, blinking once—then twice, the hazy figure of the blue-haired prince still there after she had closed and opened her eyes multiple times. "What are you doing here?"

"I…" Athrun started dumbly, almost forgetting why he was out in the forest in the first place. It was for Kira, his best friend who he thought had gone to Orb on his own, but who he thought was Kira was actually Cagalli, who was wearing Kira's cloak—or at least, a cloak that resembled the one that he had given Kira, but his brown-haired friend didn't carry it on him earlier when he had gone to him, so where was the sense in all of this?

When Athrun looked back down to Cagalli, her eyes were already closed and his head went to panic mode immediately. He didn't have that much training in first aid, but he did know that after the fall Cagalli went through, the greatest she could suffer from were broken bones and some form of internal bleeding, and that if a doctor didn't see to her soon, she'd be as good as dead.

 _Dead._ His heart clenched at the image of the once lively blonde becoming lifeless in his arms.

It would take him three hours to get back to Aprilius City. At full speed he could have saved thirty minutes or so, but his horse was already exhausted as is. She had a better chance at surviving if he brought her back to Plant. And because he was...rather attached to her, he was going to take her with him. He was willing to face whatever consequence that would be thrown his way—whether it be Cagalli's or his father's wrath.

He lifted her head as carefully as he could and heard a small hiss pass through her lips. He asked, "Does it hurt?"

She raised a hand to her side and took in a sharp breath as she put a little force on the area. "A broken rib, maybe," she coughed out. He nodded in acknowledgement and made her sit up.

"I'm bringing you back to Aprilius," he told her as he was gently pulling her up to her feet. "There must be someone can treat you there. There are a few clinics around the area, and if they can't do anything for you, the royal doctors will see to you—I'll make sure of that. Three hours; can you stay awake for that long?"

Cagalli was feeling more and more lightheaded as he talked, so she barely understood what he was saying. All she knew was that Athrun was there with her—for whatever reason he may have for being there in the forest.

"You're here," she whispered as he began to mount her on his horse. "Athrun..."

"Yes," he replied and jumped onto the back of Aegis and sat behind her. "I'm right here, Cagalli."

She craned her head to face him and saw those green eyes that stirred feelings in her that she couldn't decipher. It was a weird feeling, and it was like something was jumping in her stomach and hammering her chest. Then, he smiled and the feeling got worse—as if it was a sort of ache added to the pain in her side. Cagalli shook her head and looked past him, seeing the golden horse that was also staring at her like the lost animal that it was.

"Akatsuki," she shouted weakly as it was painful to speak. "Go home!"

And Cagalli closed her eyes as Athrun snapped the reins of his horse.

* * *

The whole room was silent as the last words of the King echoed throughout the room.

"King Zala," one finally spoke. It was Yuri Amalfi, a council member that oversaw national defense. "To use our forces on a kingdom that is known for being a strong military power would badly wound our economy and could potentially reduce our men by the thousands in the first attack. Intelligence have said that not even the numerous attempts in the past five years made by the Alliance could get through the soldiers of Orb guarding their borders."

"It's called damage control, Yuri," Ezalia Joule pointed out as a council member who was also part of the defense committee. In front of her were papers where her source of information was written on. "Intelligence have also said that Orb was taken over by a former subject of the king of the alliance, King Azrael. Note the word former—it means that he's been formally exiled and is not acknowledged as a representative of the Alliance. They're afraid that if the people of Orb think that it was purposely their doing, they would target the Alliance as soon as they get out of the hold of this Djibiril."

"But they should know that they're not being annexed by the Alliance," Louise Leitner commented. "Because otherwise they should be free to go to the other states of their kingdom."

"Occupation is not the same as annexation," Ezalia said again with a mild tone of droll. "As Yuri had said, Orb is a strong military power. And for a mad man to have taken over the entire nation? It simply doesn't add up."

The council were in murmurs as they went through their own folders to review their information. They were seated around a large round table, the only distinct piece of furniture in the room. Even though it was noon and bright outside, the room was located deeper into the castle and only had one large window covered by thick curtains, so the room was lit dimly by chandeliers dangling from the high ceiling, creating the too grave mood in the room.

The knight who was guarding the room swung open the large wooden doors and stepped into view. "Announcing the presence of Lady Lacus Clyne, daughter of Sir Siegel Clyne!"

He went back to his post as Lacus walked into the dreary room. She had always hated going into this room, but was often there as his father's secretary in meetings. But now as she looked around the council chambers, she saw no one sitting at the back where the secretaries were usually seated, so she assumed that this meeting concerned too private matters.

She curtsied, pulling the sides of her long dress. "You asked for me, Your Majesty?"

"Yes, I did," Patrick Zala answered, shifting in his chair. "Lacus, dear, take a seat beside your father."

After Lacus was seated in a chair of her own, the silence in the chambers was back.

"Lacus," the king called and the pink-haired noble looked up in attention. "I am aware that you were in Copernicus a month ago and personally met with their king along with my son. I have read the reports your secretary sent in, but I would like you to recount the main points you tackled over in the Alliance, with the rest of the Supreme Council."

"Of course, Your Majesty," Lacus answered, keep her cool facade around all the adults. "My father, Siegel Clyne, is a member of the diplomatic committee so it is, as you all know, part of his duty to maintain relations with other kingdoms. Last month, I went to Copernicus in Alliance territory to meet with the honorable King Allster as my father's proxy. We mostly reiterated the different agreements in the Treaty of Junius and the involvement of the Alliance with the current condition of Orb."

"And what of their involvement with the state of Orb?"

"King Allster claims that the Alliance has no real involvement and that they have made numerous attempts in the last five years to free Orb, but the nation is currently under lockdown. He said that the usurper of the throne is from another noble family of Orb, the Seirans, and that they were able to overthrow the former king by gathering a sizable army—which they accomplished through the help of a former subject of the king, a man named Djibiril. King Allster said that even in his court, he was a shady character who opposed him often—though not openly, as that would be treason. It was more of a loyalty to the former king of the Alliance, the late King Azrael."

The chamber was silent once more after Lacus said the name of the one who led the war against Plant and burned down Junius city, where the late Queen Lenore died. The air was tense, Lacus could tell from her seat, even though she did not know what exactly the Supreme Council was talking about earlier. She assumed by the king's question that it concerned Orb.

"See, Patrick," Siegel said. Lacus turned to her father and he offered her a small smile before facing the king again. "Orb's siege wasn't the doing of the Alliance. They're hardly involved."

"If what George Allster says about Djibiril being a loyal follower of Azrael is right, then we do have something to fear," Ezalia pointed out. Patrick's eyebrows were furrowed as he thought some more. "If he's a loyal follower, he must have the same belief as Azrael did."

Then, the King stood from his chair and the other council members followed. Everyone in the room was standing except Lacus, who looked bewildered at the adults staring intently at the highest figure of authority in their kingdom.

"We must prepare for war," King Patrick Zala announced and the soft gasps were heard in the room. "A war against Orb."

_End of Chapter Six_


	7. This Is Why We Fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heavy Lies The Crown: Chapter Seven  
> by tyrantsandcreampuffs
> 
> This is why, why we fight, why we lie awake.  
> This is why, this is why we fight.  
> When we die, we will die with our arms unbound.  
> So come to me.
> 
> Song of the Chapter: This Is Why We Fight by The Decemberists.
> 
> Please do leave a review! :)

"Open the doors!" Djibiril shouted while still mounted on his white horse, his posture immaculate even as he jumped off. Immediately after his feet touched the ground, two young boys came out and took the saddles of his horse, dragging the steed back to the stables. "Did no one hear me? Open the doors!"

The knight guarding the throne room stepped forward; brave enough to face the irritation of the angry white-haired man. "Lord Djibiril, King Unato has requested a moment with his son, Prince Yuna. He had instructed that we tell you to wait here until he the Prince comes out."

Djibiril sneered at the knight who went back to his post. "Very well then."

It took a couple more minutes, but eventually the purple-haired spoiled brat came out, and Djibiril bowed with feigned respect to the Prince.

"Lord Djibiril, Father expects you in the throne room now," Yuna told him in a disinterested tone. "I suppose you do not want to make him wait much longer?"

"I wouldn't want to anger the King in any way," Djibiril replied and started walking towards the big oak doors. Yuna gave the man a final glare before heading his own way. He never liked the white-haired man, not when he first appeared in his home six years ago, and not now—and he supposed, never, as well.

And of course, Djibiril shared the same feelings towards the Prince. What with his pretentiousness; Djibiril knew that Yuna was in fact a coward underneath his snooty appearance, and that a sword held to his throat would easily make him wet his pants.

With a smirk at the thought of the Seiran heir bawling like the baby that he was, Djibiril walked into the throne room. He went down on one knee and bowed his head, as was what was supposed to be the custom to whoever greeted a royal. But he knew that the usurper was no royal.

"Rise, Lord Djibiril," he heard a haughty voice say, and Djibiril kept his thoughts to himself. "I had been expecting you."

"Good day, King Unato," Djibiril started, standing straight in his place. With his ice blue eyes, he watched the fat, half-bald man take a sip of wine from his chalice. "I come bearing news of the events at Heliopolis Square yesterday."

"And what of it?" Unato asked, adjusting himself on his throne. "The man was willing to burn himself and got those little pieces of paper out. The words were on them, were they not?"

"They were, My King.  _The Goddess of Victory_. The people were running away from the burning plaza, carrying those papers with them."

"Then I assume everything is working according to your plan, Lord Djibiril? Tell me, what is it you wanted to accomplish by throwing small parchments to the citizens? Their mind is still not changed and they do not accept me as King."

"Why, but you  _are_ ," Djibiril said with a sinister smile. "You are a king, are you not?"

"I am!" Unato answered, sounding intoxicated. "I am King of Orb, a better ruler than that fool Uzumi would have been!"

"And that, I do not doubt, Unato," Djibiril answered informally, bowing his head once more. Raising his head to meet the King's dark eyes, he continued, "You ask what I wanted to accomplish with the man in Heliopolis Square, Your Majesty? To put it simply, the tactics you have been employing these past five years—well, I've found it to be ineffective."

Unato's eyes squinted. "Are you criticizing the plans I've made for Orb?"

Djibiril kept his lips tight. "No, Unato, I would not dare commit  _lèse majesté_  by disrespecting you. My apologies if you found offense in it; but let it be known that was not my intention. What I planned to accomplish, again—I wanted the citizens to  _hope_."

"Hope?" the King laughed with ridicule obvious in his tone. Then, he sounded angry, obviously in a drunken stupor. "Hope! That would accomplish nothing! I have told you time and time again, Lord Djibiril, that if there is something to be done, you need power.  _Fear_. That is what you are supposed to give those people otherwise they will oppose you!"

"Contrary to what you believe, Your Majesty, they do not fear opposing you. Every day at least one person is brave enough to knock on the gatehouse of this castle, with nothing but a simple sword in their hand. Of course, he gets knocked down easily and killed by one of my soldiers stationed there. They do not fear you; they fear my army. They stand down because of their fear of what  _my_  soldiers can bring."

Unato raised his chalice, and a servant boy ran up to refill the glass with wine. "And what is it that your men bring?"

Djibiril's lips curved upward. "Death." The King raised a brow at this, but continued to consume his wine. Djibiril resumed, "But if there is one thing greater than fear, it is hope. A little is effective, but in great quantities, it's quite dangerous."

"So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that in the next few weeks, we will have to expect more riots. The people will want to demand answers as to why there were papers with the name of their beloved princess who is supposedly dead. They will be more forceful—and as always, my soldiers will hold them back down. Your men are hardly loyal to you, Unato, and I mean that with no offense. It is the truth."

The King dismissed it with a drunken hand, accidentally throwing some of his wine around him. "And so, Djibiril? Your plan—what is it? You give people their hope, and for what?"

"To bring their princess back," Djibiril answered. "Even if that means throwing you off the throne."

He unsheathed his sword from its holster. Unato stood from his throne—still drunk, and two guards brought out their owns swords and stood between him and the steps leading to the high chair for the King.

"I could easily take down the two of you," Djibiril taunted, not putting his sword down. "But why get my hands dirty when I have my own men to dispose of? Sting, Auel!"

The two boys who carried off his horse earlier, burst through the heavy doors, their weapons in hand. Sting, who was good with his bow, aimed at the two other soldiers in the room and within another second, the arrows were in between their eyes. Unato stared, horrified, at the sight of his two men fallen on the ground.

"I told you, Unato, that my men bring death," Djibiril continued to goad at the usurper. "It has been five years since I gave you that throne to sit on! I gave you the army you wanted to bring down the old king and take over Orb! Now, I believe, I should get my end of the bargain. Five years of waiting is far too long, and I want what you promised."

Unato's gaze travelled from the green-haired archer to the white-haired  _traitor_. He was becoming more and more afraid— _fearful_ —of what was going to happen to him, but he knew that if he attempted to escape, he would accept the same fate as his soldiers. Then, he looked solidly into the eyes of Djibiril. "I cannot go into war with Plant for you."

Djibiril's scream resounded in the throne room. "Sting, an arrow to his arm now!"

And an arrow shot through the fat flesh between Unato's right hand and elbow. Unato howled in pain and got on his knees, clutching his right arm with his left hand. Two other soldiers came into the room and held Unato back while Djibiril took slow steps up the stairs to the throne."

"Lock him up in the dungeons," he commanded, the sneer not leaving his face. "Make sure his face sees no light and he gets no food. Let him starve and be desperate enough to drink up rat's piss."

"You cannot!" Unato cried, struggling to escape the grasp of the two younger soldiers while not straining his right forearm too much. His eyes were wide with fear and his voice was desperate. "I am your king!"

Djibiril stopped in front of him and tipped his crown away from his head. It fell with a loud clank onto the ground and he kicked it down the stairs. Then, with a final sneer, he turned around.

"You are no king."

* * *

"You are upset, My Prince."

Athrun turned around and saw the pink-haired princess of peace walking towards him with a small smile that didn't quite reach her cheeks. She was not exactly the person he wanted to see, but he welcomed her presence because of his fondness for her, nonetheless. "Just a tad bit tired, Lacus."

Lacus's smile turned into a frown—a facial feature that did not seem nice on her at all. "And I'm afraid I'm to blame for your current fatigue. In fact, you look as though you're coming down with the common flu."

The blue-haired prince attempted to smile, but found that he was too tired to lift the edges of his lips. They were alone in the corridor that led back to his bedroom and Lacus had chased after him after he found out of his father's intentions. Lacus remembered there was quite some shouting involved between the two usually calm Zala men, and the other members of the Supreme Council had vacated the chamber once they could sense the oncoming screaming match. All of them knew that the only one who could get away with such a blatant opposition to what the King said was his son—and Prince Athrun Zala was a force to be reckoned with when the situation called for it.

"A war!" Athrun had boomed, his normally composed self, gone at the news of his father's intentions. "You want to bring a different sort of hostility to a country already facing internal conflicts?"

"I do not expect you to understand!" Patrick had quickly countered, defensive and angry. "You did not fight in the war between Plant and Alliance! You were merely a boy! What would you know about fighting in the real world?"

"I know that a country will suffer more with two simultaneous wars! Orb's monarchy is already in shambles and there is no word of the condition of the people who live there! Aggression towards them would only result in the destruction of the whole nation!"

"Then we would have seized it and won!"

"And for what? To have your revenge on the Alliance? The Alliance is not Orb! The war is over and you and I both know that it will not bring back Mother!"

The council members that were waiting behind the partially opened doors could hear every word between the conversation between the King and his heir. They were all saddened whenever they had the chance to glimpse the rocky relationship between the two remaining members of the Zala house. All of them had personally known the late Queen Lenore and knew that she was what brought the two men together. Now, without her, their relationship was as strained as it could be.

When the Prince stormed out of the council chambers, Siegel put a hand on Lacus's shoulder and gave a simple nod. She nodded back and ran after her childhood friend and supposed fiancé up to the hallway leading to his room. And now that she was standing in front of him, she wasn't exactly sure what to tell him.

 _I'm sorry_ , is the first thing that comes to mind. But Lacus knew that Athrun did not like it when people pitied him—especially if it was because of how his dysfunctional his relationship with his father was. But she wasn't sorry because of that. No, she believed that he was a stronger, more independent person because of his estrangement to his father. She was sorry because of her worry for Kira, his best friend, and that led him to chase after a ghost outside of Plant.

So that was what she said.

"There is no need for you to apologize, Lacus," Athrun said, still frowning. "I was concerned for Kira, too."

"I was up at the keep when I spotted Kira," Lacus explained. "It was about three hours after you had left. I ran to the stables, expecting you to be there with him, but you were not yet back in Plant. Kira would not tell me where he had gone, and he left again with no word. I wanted to tell him that you were on the trade route, but he was no longer there when I turned around."

"He seems to have a habit of disappearing more often now," Athrun joked. "You would think that he is hiding a secret from us. A lady from the village, perhaps?"

Then, when he saw that Lacus had tensed at his comment, he hastily amended his words. "I am kidding, Lacus. You and I both know he has eyes for no one else."

And again, Lacus said, "I'm sorry."

"There is really nothing for you to apologize for."

But Lacus was feeling guilty and she regretted the actions Athrun had taken because of the extent of her worry for his best friend. She knew that he was tired from riding out and arguing with the King, his father, upon his return, but she could not stop herself from asking him more questions.

"Athrun, how did you know that Kira wasn't out on the trade route?"

"I didn't," the Prince replied honestly. But he didn't intend to tell her about Cagalli. In fact, he didn't even consider telling Kira, so technically Cagalli was his secret—and the thought of keeping one from his two closest friends frightened and excited him at the same time.

"Oh," Lacus stuttered, unsure of what to say next. "So what are you doing back here?"

"I'm not quite sure myself," was his honest reply—because as far as he knew, he would rather be sitting beside Cagalli's bed, where she was supposedly resting after the doctors she left her with, stabilized her condition. He had left her in the small infirmary in town and since he had exited the small doors and rode back to the castle, his worrying did not stop.

Lacus could see he fell into some sort of daze; he probably had a lot on his mind. "Athrun, I'm really sorry—"

"Lacus, I hope I don't sound rude because you must know how genuine my affection is for you as one of my dearest friends," Athrun said coldly, and inwardly, he flinched at his own tone. "But I'm quite tired. If you insist on apologizing, I will repeatedly tell you that there is no need, and our discussion will end in circles."

The songstress stared at the prince. "Oh, but of course. You should rest, Athrun. I am sorry to have kept you."

Athrun gave her a small smile. "Well, we'll talk again tomorrow morning. Kira had asked for a leave, but if you could find a way to summon him, please do. I would like to meet with him as well."

Lacus curtsied and bowed her head. "Yes, I will see to that. Good day to you then, milord."

"And one to you as well, milady." Athrun nodded and turned around. He was only slightly guilt-ridden by leaving Lacus behind, but he  _was_  exhausted; he knew that she understood.

He entered his bedchamber and locked the door behind him. He walked to his bed and sat down on the soft mattress. He unbuttoned his coat and slid off the soft fabric until there was no more cloth covering the flesh of his torso. In the soft light that came from the setting sun, he examined it and saw that there were his sweat stains and her blood stains that covered different areas of the cloth. Taking another deep breath, he took off one boot and let it drop to the floor. Then, the next boot also came off and the thud of the shoe falling to the ground echoed in Athrun's head for a moment.

He stood up and walked the short distance from his bed to his bath, where the still water was waiting for him. Slowly, he dipped his legs into the wooden tub. Soon his whole body was soaked in the lukewarm water and he began to relax, the right temperature soothing his aching muscles. He felt so dead, as if his life was suddenly taken away from him. Athrun wasn't sure if it was the fatigue of riding for so long or if it was the stress that his father was causing, or if it was because Cagalli looked like she was going to die earlier. Had it really been just this morning that he left Aprilius City with great speed, in a supposed pursuit for his friend?

The prince closed his eyes and when he opened them again, he saw the reflection of his emerald eyes looking back at him, in the water. They were the eyes Cagalli said she disliked—they were also his mother's eyes, and he, for a brief period of time, was bitter that she had left him and his father, so he had also disliked seeing those eyes whenever he passed by a mirror. He had hated them, too. But that was once upon a time, years ago, when he thought that he was at fault for what happened to his mother.

His mother had died all those years ago. The memory was as fresh to him as the colors of the flames that took away the life of his mother were bright.

* * *

She was dreaming. That, she was sure of, because there was absolutely no way for her to be back in Orb. And in the Athha castle, no less! Cagalli felt like crying at the familiar sight of her childhood home, but knew that she had to hold back the tears—after all, she had promised her father that she would be strong.

She was standing in a hallway—which one, she was unsure of, but she just knew that she was in the Athha castle.

"My Queen!" she heard someone shout the title, and she faced that direction and saw that there was a handmaiden running. The maid ran past her and stopped further down the corridor. Cagalli turned around and saw the maid was now with a regal looking brunette.

"My Queen," the maid panted again, and the woman beside her smiled kindly. "The King Uzumi has returned unharmed from the islands. They were victorious and Orb is at peace once more. Now, he summons you to the Southern court yard. He told me to let you go there unescorted, so I am to leave you once you reach the gates."

This was her mother, Cagalli realized. She had seen her mother's portrait on the Wall of Rulers and Consorts in the Eastern Hall, back when she was younger, but had forgotten what the Queen had actually looked like. Her father had often kept her from seeing the other portraits and she had always thought it was because seeing her face brought too much ache in his heart. Kira was right, though, Cagalli did share the same facial structure as their mother, but Kira was the one who inherited Queen Via's brown hair and purple eyes. Cagalli had often struggled with the thought of not looking like her father in any way, and maybe this was her chance to know why.

"That is very well. I have prayed day and night for His Majesty's safe return, and Haumea had granted my wishes." The smile did not leave Via's face. She seemed like the perfect wife and queen, Cagalli noted, staring intently at her mother. But there was something in her expression that was off—something that gave away her sadness behind the veil of happiness. "I wish to see my children before I go there. Surely, Uzumi is patient enough to not mind waiting a few more minutes."

"If that is what you wish, Your Highness." The maid bowed and followed the Queen as she walked into a different hallway. Cagalli sprinted, chasing after the apparitions of her mother and a handmaiden. Soon enough, they were inside a larger room—which Cagalli recognized as her nursery. She recognized the wooden toys around the room, but noticed the greatest difference: there were two cribs instead of one, and she assumed that she was inside one while the other one carried Kira.

"Please leave me for a moment," Via requested. And the handmaiden nodded and exited the room, closing the door behind her. Cagalli watched as Via walked to the two cribs standing beside each other. Via stood there for about a minute, just staring at the two babies as they gently rolled around in their slumber.

Then, the Queen broke into soft, quiet sobs.

"Kira and Cagalli," she called out, still standing over them. Her shoulders shook as she spoke, and Cagalli didn't know what to feel with her mother's miserable tone. "My children, I am your mother. And I'm afraid that I will never have the joy of seeing or holding you again. I've committed a great treason, but I do not regret what I have done, because otherwise I would not have had both of you…"

Via continued to cry, muttering apologies and regrets under her breath. It went on for a good ten minutes, and when she had turned back around, she looked just as immaculate as when she had entered the room—no tear stains on her cheeks or puffy eyes. There was no sign at all of her earlier despair. She walked out of the room with the dignity of a royal, and Cagalli unconsciously found herself straightening her back as she followed the Queen again.

The path they were taking was unknown to Cagalli. She remembered the maid had mentioned going to the Southern court yard. As far as she knew, that area was closed off until she was around seven, when they cleared the whole area to make it a riding range. Everything about her dream was bizarre, but she could not bring herself to wake.

Once they had reached the court yard itself, Cagalli saw the most beautiful garden she had ever seen—even more beautiful than the ones in the other court yards combined.

"My love," she heard a voice call—and the familiarity of it brought an ache to her heart. It was her father's, and she turned to see the King of Orb, almost twenty years younger. His hair was like ash and his eyes weren't as tired as they were when she was growing up. "I was afraid you would not come."

"I would not miss receiving my husband," Via answered, her kind smile not quite reaching her purple eyes. She walked and went closer to the King. "Our children, they—"

"Via, please." Uzumi sounded tired. "You know the real reason why I summoned you here."

The Queen nodded sadly. He took her hands in his and stared at her fondly—the gaze of a husband who has not seen his wife in months. "I thought you would have taken me to your court."

"I thought I could spare us both of the humiliation," Uzumi confessed, not moving. "But either way, the end result is the same."

"I die in both possible endings," Via said bitterly. Cagalli did not understand what was happening, and she just wanted to run up to both of them and hold them, ask them what she was supposed to do. "At least tell me, my dear, what will happen to our— _my_  children?"

"I am in need of an heir to the throne, so I promise that I will take care of them."

"My Kira will be king one day?"

"If he turns out to be a fine man, then I hope so."

Via continued to smile, though tears were back on her face once more. "Have you seen them? Kira and Cagalli?"

Uzumi's thick eyebrows furrowed. "I could not bring myself to."

"I understand, my dearest husband."

They were walking further and further away, and Cagalli could not move her feet to follow them. Their faces were becoming fainter in the distance, but their their voices were loud and clear in her dream. She could not make sense of their conversation and she was getting as frustrated as she was confused.

"Via Athha, queen consort of Orb," Uzumi formally addressed his wife with a stern look on his face. The air was tense between the King and the Queen, but the gravity of their situation was lost from where Cagalli was. "Do you deny any or all allegations of your treason?"

"I do not."

There was a short, beautiful moment of silence when there were no clouds above and the court yard was filled with the light from the sun. A soft breeze passed by and pulled on the fabric of the Queen's long dress. In the quiet of the day, one could hear the soft echoes of the tweet of the birds and the rustle of the thin branches. There was a certain delicacy in the moment between her parents, and there was something that stirred in her as she watched her parents interact—perhaps it was the knowledge that she had never seen them so sad together.

"Then I'm afraid I must sentence you to your death, my love."

Then, the figures of her parents blurred in Cagalli's sight and everything went black.

Queen Via had died—and the real reason was no where near the stories told by those around Cagalli. No, she didn't die of childbirth or anything like that. She died because she wanted children, which her father—no, he wasn't her  _real_  father—which Uzumi could not give her.

* * *

"Oh, great; you're awake!"

Cagalli's eyes fluttered open and saw a mob of bright maroon hair framing the face of a girl who looked to be around her age. She further inspected her surroundings and found nothing at all to be familiar to her. She was in a completely foreign place with people she didn't know, she concluded. How did she even get here?

 _Athrun_ , her mind answered for her. Athrun was the one who took her away from the forest when he found her with a fever. There wasn't pain shooting from any part of her body, but she did feel the tightly wrapped cloth around her abdomen, so someone must have fixed her up after Athrun brought her somewhere.

"Where **—** "  _is he?_ , she wanted to ask, but instead she stopped when she heard how raspy her voice was.

"You are currently in Februarius City," the other lady chirpily answered.

"Februarius," Cagalli repeated carefully; the red-head nodded. And a moment of realization settled in and she sat up from her bed, horrified. "I'm in  _Plant_?"

"My name is Lunamaria," the girl introduced herself while pushing Cagalli back onto the mattress with a strong hand. "And you're not allowed to get up from bed yet, I'm afraid. The prince specified that you need to get at least half a day's worth of rest even after you wake up."

Cagalli thought of glaring at Lunamaria, but decided against her actions since that would most likely scare her off when the poor girl has done nothing but follow orders. And she was probably the one taking care of her while she was sleeping.

The blonde blinked her eyes again. "How long have I been sleeping?"

"You've been out for about half a week now," Lunamaria replied, getting a glass from another table and bringing it to her. "Here, drink this. It'll help with your throat."

The princess drank all of the contents in one gulp as that was the extent of her thirst. When she brought the cup away from her lips, Lunamaria looked at her with an odd fascination. She chuckled, "You're really thirsty. And you must be equally famished as well. Meyrin's probably busy downstairs, so I'll tell Shinn to cook something for you."

Cagalli was hearing more names she didn't recognize and her panic was starting to set in. These people were  _strangers—_ people she didn't know if she could trust. But if Athrun trusted her to these people, then she supposed she would have to be able to tolerate them.

"Cagalli Yula," Lunamaria called her.  _Funny_ , Cagalli thought. Because anyone in Orb would have recognized her name, but here she was very much unknown. "I don't know how you got the great Prince Athrun to carry you around on his horse, but you must be  _someone_. Who are you exactly?"

"If I told you I was a princess, would you believe me?" Cagalli found herself asking the other girl. Lunamaria tilted her head and furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and the blonde found herself amused at the antics of the younger girl.

Lunamaria's eyes widened, as if realizing something. "Are you going to marry the prince?"

She almost choked. "No! No, what are you even saying? I was kidding!" Cagalli's face flushed a deep red, and Lunamaria caught onto the tint of her cheeks. "The Prince is but a friend—no, more of an acquaintance, really. This is only the second time we've met."

"Second time, you say? Some girls haven't even personally met the young prince of Plant and yet they swoon over the sound of his name." Lunamaria chuckled. "But I'll understand if you do have a crush on Prince Athrun—who wouldn't? He has everything you could ever want in a guy and more. Tell me, Cagalli—I hope you don't mind me calling you that—is he really as much of a gentleman as others say?"

"I…" Cagalli stuttered.  _Yes_ , is what she wanted to say, but thought she couldn't really say so because she didn't know him long enough. "I don't really know."

Lunamaria frowned, but was still cheerful. "I was only teasing. Anyway, I should head down and tell Shinn to cook now."

Cagalli simply nodded and the redhead went outside the room. She took a deep breath once she was alone and found that it didn't pain her in any way anymore. It was like she was completely healed—save for her bones, maybe, but still. She had broken a bone in her right arm when she was younger and it took her more than a month before the doctors there had allowed her to take the cast off. But now she had been out for a few days and for some reason her broken ribs were magically healed.

But then again, she was in Februarius City. The medicine in Plant was too advanced compared to the ones in the Alliance and in Orb. Heck, Cagalli wouldn't be surprised if they had put her on drugs.

When Lunamaria went back into the room, she was carrying a bowl of soup and she was also dragging along a young black-haired man. She laid the tray that carried the soup onto Cagalli's lap and smiled brightly.

"This here is Shinn and he will see to your needs while you're here."

"I'm not her manservant, Luna!"

"Prince Athrun paid us to watch over her so you're going to do this, Shinn!"

Cagalli watched the odd couple bicker at each other silently and giggled. They were quite cute together even though Shinn looked intimidating and Lunamaria was too friendly. She took her spoon and ate some soup as she watched the two continue to dispute each other silently.

Five minutes later, they were still fighting, so Cagalli decided to speak up. "The soup was really delicious."

Shinn turned to look at her. "Really?"

 _No_ , Cagalli thought because the soup that Mayura cooked was phenomenal, but she couldn't say that to the poor boy's face. So instead she opted with a content nod.

Shinn's face lit up and he returned his gaze to Lunamaria. "I told you I was a better cook than you!"

"That doesn't really prove anything, Shinn—"

And the princess dozed off somewhere in between the two's argument. The two noticed only after a while, and they exited the room laughing at themselves.

* * *

"You called for me, Athrun?" Kira said as he opened the door to Athrun's study. "I thought you were letting me off the hook since I did ask for the next few days off."

"Indeed, I did." Athrun looked up from his desk and felt a great weight off his chest after seeing the chestnut-haired boy enter the room. "But I had hoped Lacus would also be present with us."

Kira gave his usual goofy grin. "She will be here shortly. Sir Clyne asked for a word with Lacus when we went in the castle, and she told me to go ahead. Why, is it that important?"

Athrun gave a small smile to ease his friend's anxiety. "Not at all. I would just like to inquire of your whereabouts the other day, when you asked for your leave."

"Oh." Kira had thought of his alibi beforehand, so he simply recited it to his friend. "I went to the temple in Maius. I lit some candles and incense for Haumea. It is custom for one to do that in Orb when a person's day of birth is near."

"I see," Athrun said after a while. "So I assume you had a merry birthday, Kira."

 _I haven't had a happy one in five years,_ Kira wanted to tell him honestly, but refrained from saying so. Instead he said, "Of course, Athrun. Why wouldn't I?"

"I've yet to give you your gift, actually." Athrun took the wrapped gift from under the table and stood to hand it to his best friend. "Belated happy birthday, Kira."

Kira's eyes widened. "Is this...?"

Athrun nodded. "Just like Saviour, it's made out of the new metal they discovered in November City, gundanium."

"But this is too much for me!" Kira started to panic. While he did like the gift very much, he didn't think he was worth having a sword which costs about as much as feeding a thousand families for months. "Really, Athrun. I won't be able to use it because I'll be too scared to lose it."

"Nonsense!" Athrun waved off. "I couldn't think of anyone else who would be able to wield this sword to its full potential other than you. You're probably the only one who could best me in combat—but don't tell Yzak that, because he'll just be jealous."

The two laughed together, both feeling like they had no other concerns. But the truth was that they had the same blonde at the back of their minds and that they wished nothing more than to be with her at that moment.

There was a knock on the door and they paused in their mirth to turn to the wood.

"Enter," Athrun permitted; a young chambermaid opened the door slightly.

"Prince Athrun." The maid curtsied. "There is a messenger waiting for you downstairs. He bears a letter from the Hawke Hospice? He says that he cannot hand it to anyone else by you, as that was your request. He is waiting in the west tower parlor room."

Kira looked at Athrun queerly. "And when did you go to the hospital?"

"It doesn't really concern you, Kira." Athrun shook his head. Then, he addressed the maid. "Please wait outside of this room. When Lady Lacus arrives, redirect her to where we are heading."

They walked out of the office and closed the door behind them. Kira was carrying his gift, with the face of an amused child—which he was often, really, except when he was serious. He was scary when he was focused.

The two didn't talk during their walk because Kira was too absorbed with admiring the sword, and Athrun was also happy that his friend liked the gift he had made for him. Instead he chose to use that time to think of Cagalli. He was going to receive a report of her medical status and he was more than anxious of knowing what has happened to her. Was she safe? Was she stable now? He had a lot of questions, but no answers yet. He wished he could ride to her side, but his father had grounded him and disallowed him from leaving the castle grounds without his permission.

It didn't take long for them to arrive in the parlor where a man dressed in simple clothing immediately bowed at the sight of the prince.

"Prince Athrun, this letter contains reports from the doctors Hawke," the messenger said as he gave the small bundle of papers to the prince. Then, he stepped back. "The doctors Hawke also want to inform you that they've temporarily transferred your lady to Februarius City to rest in their personal living quarters. The address is written down inside one of the papers."

"Yes, I had asked them to accommodate her elsewhere." Athrun acknowledged the messenger and handed him a small pouch containing a few silver coins. "Thank you, good sir. Please give my regards and thanks to the doctors Hawke as well."

The man bowed a final time before being escorted out by guards. Athrun took a seat in one of the chairs and browsed through the words written on the papers.  _Name—Cagalli Yula. Age—approximately 17. Birth date—unknown. Nationality—unknown. Occupation—unknown._  There were so many blanks to her profile, and he was determined to solve the mystery that was her.

"Now, who could this lady friend of yours be?" Kira asked, chuckling teasingly. He was still running a hand over the smooth and sharp blade. "You know, I will eventually get you to tell me what this is all about, Athrun."

"I cannot," Athrun said resolutely, standing and placing the folded papers in one of the pockets of his coat. "I cannot because I myself don't know anything either."

* * *

Cagalli was relieved to know that Athrun had left her bag with her, so she had a change of clothes and her own cloak to wear. Lunamaria had offered to lend her some of her clothes, but when she saw the pink skirts that were the main component of her wardrobe, she politely declined. She was more comfortable with her loose blouse and slacks anyway.

The next day, she was introduced to Meyrin, Lunamaria's younger sister who co-managed the apothecary that was downstairs. Upstairs was their living quarters. Apparently their parents were the doctors in the infirmary Athrun had left her in back in Aprilius City, and they had sent her here after she was stable enough to be transported.

She just wanted to go back to the forest to clear her head. But then she ended up in Plant territory—and with possibly no way out unless she forged her own documents or something equally as hard. Refugees from Orb probably registered when they arrived here years ago, but Cagalli didn't want to go to the city hall to do that, in fear of what they might do to her once they found out who she was.

While Lunamaria and Meyrin stayed behind to manage the apothecary, Shinn was tasked to take her around town. Shinn had explained that there wasn't much in Februarius City. Everyone was busy and serious because this was the premier city for medical studies and the like.

"Really, Cagalli, there's nothing you would want to see here. You said you didn't really like shopping, so we're not going to the bazaar at the town center," Shinn said as they were walking casually with no destination in mind yet.

"Do you have anything else that could be interesting?" she asked in return.

"Schools, medical centers, the giant library—"

"There!" Cagalli said excitedly. "Take me to the library."

Shinn nodded, not bothering to argue with her decision. Perhaps if he was with Lunamaria, he would have said something—but then, if he was with Lunamaria, she would just probably drag him along to shop with her.

Fifteen minutes after walking in complete silence with Shinn, they arrived in front of a giant hall with a statue of a man in front of the building.

"Who is that?" Cagalli asked, staring at the tall man.

"Ulen Hibiki," Shinn answered. "He's a doctor who funded the rebuilding of this library fifteen years ago. He has a whole section of books inside, but I think he's crazy."

Cagalli nodded, not bothering to ask anything else of the strange man.

"This is the main library of Februarius City. It mostly has books useful for those going into the field of medicine or biochemistry or something of that sort, but it has a few sections for other stuff, too," Shinn explained as they were climbing the steps. "It has five floors, so you can walk your way up all those flights of stairs if you want to, but the upper floor is mostly for more advanced studies. The first floor has those 'history of Plant' books and the 'noble lineage' books and stuff like those. Personally, I liked the library back in Heliopolis more."

Cagalli stopped and looked at the red-eyed boy. "You were from Orb?"

At the mention of the Kingdom of Orb, Shinn clenched his fists. Cagalli felt him tense and almost regretted asking. "I hate Orb. My family was left behind there when the Seirans took over. I don't know what happened to my parents and my sister…"

 _I'm sorry_ , Cagalli wanted to say, but knew that it wasn't going to do anything.

"King Uzumi was a weak leader," he continued to say, and Cagalli's world shattered at his slandering her father. "If he was strong, then Orb would have been the same kingdom as it was all those years ago. It would have been peaceful and not have conflicts, as it should—but instead the people in there are all suffering and dying, and it's his entire fault."

"But it isn't!" Cagalli told him defensively, clinging onto her belief of her father being the best king there could be. "King Uzumi did not mean for it to happen; he didn't even know that the Seirans were planning something! If he did, he would have done something! Father, he—"

"What was that?" Shinn asked when Cagalli stopped. It was a really sensitive topic for her, but he didn't know that.

"Nothing, I'm sorry," the princess said, continuing to climb the steps. Shinn nodded awkwardly and followed. "I left my father behind in Orb, too."

"You were from Orb?" Shinn narrowed his eyes, though without any malice. When she didn't answer and instead walked ahead, he whispered to himself, "Cagalli Yula—why does your name sound so familiar?"

The pushed open the doors and found a few people browsing through the aisles of books. Cagalli stared at the shelves and was instantly attracted to the wooden sign that said 'history'. She ran ahead, forgetting that Shinn was still near the doorway and went to the small section filled with books about the past—mostly of Plant, but there were also a few select titles that covered the history of Orb and the Alliance.

She had picked a book off the shelf and found that the cover was dusty. Cagalli was saddened by that because it meant that no one bothered to come into this section.

 _The Zala Lineage_ , the title said. It was the most recent account of Athrun's ancestry, having been written a few years after the Junius Treaty. She skipped every other page and went to the part that detailed the current members of the house of Zala.

"You know, seeing you with that book in hand, I would think Luna was right when she said you had a crush on the Prince."

She turned around and found Shinn frowning at her.

"This was also where I first went the first time I was here," he confessed. In his hand was a book he had picked off from another shelf, but also from the same section. "I had no idea what Plant was like—but I should have expected you to have a greater knowledge about it than I do,  _Princess_."

Cagalli gasped and stood. "How did you—"

"How could I have not recognized you? " Shinn's voice was getting shakier with every word. "I always saw you when I was younger. You ran around Heliopolis Square without any guards watching over you. You played with the other children there. Everyone in Orb adored you, their princess, and they wouldn't let any harm come to you."

"Shinn…" Cagalli tried to reach for his shoulder, but he flinched back from her touch.

"No wonder you're alive. Haumea wouldn't let you be harmed—you're Orb's beloved princess! But my family and my friends, they're still trapped there in Orb! They're people just like you, so what makes you any different? If I had the power to help them, I would! You do, but what are you doing here? You—you're useless!"

"No!" Cagalli shouted, but then lowered her voice again when she saw some people were staring at her. "Shinn, do you think I'm not trying? Every night, I dream of taking back Orb and bringing it back to how it was before, how my father intended the kingdom to be. I want to be able to return just as much as you do, but I can't. Not right now."

Shinn glared at her angrily. "Let's just go back to the apothecary."

"Okay," the princess agreed, feeling defeated at his words. He hated her. She thought she could have made a friend out of him and Lunamaria and Meyrin, but he hated her.

Like the trip going to the library, the walk back to the apothecary was also silent. Perhaps even worse because their was an obvious tension between the two Orb refugees.

"Hey!" Meyrin greeted them when they opened the door to the shop. "Lunamaria's been expecting you two. Miss Cagalli, Luna said that you should head up and drink your medicine then rest again. Shinn, you have a list of errands to run."

Cagalli nodded and trudged up the stairs tiredly. What Shinn said gave her a whole new perspective of how she was going to reconquer Orb. While Kisaka said that there were people waiting for her and willing to fight for her, there were also others who hated her and her father. There were people like Shinn who blamed her family for what happened to theirs.

That night, when she went to sleep, she dreamt of a man named Ulen Hibiki—and she didn't know why.

* * *

This was it. This was the moment she had been training for this past month. She knew how to handle herself differently and she memorized everything she needed to say. To her right was a standing mirror, and the blonde could see the long blue velvet dress draped over her small frame and the beautiful tiara pinned to the top of her golden hair. She looked pretty and royal, which she didn't think she could be able to pull off, but here she was, looking like a proper princess. She had forgotten what it felt like. Or maybe she didn't know what it felt like at all. After all, she was only a little girl when she was pulled away from her father's side.

She breathed in once, twice—until there was enough air in her lungs for her to be confident.

"Open the doors," the voice to her left commanded. It was Lord Djibiril and he had his confident grin plastered onto his face. The knights stationed by the giant balcony followed suit, and soon sunlight was streaming into the once dimly lit room. "I hope you do not disappoint me."

"I will not," she replied with the brightest smile she could put on her face and started walking down the carpeted aisle, heading outside to the balcony. Once she had stepped into view, she heard the cries of thousands of the citizens of Orb, and her heart clenched at the sound of mixed emotions of happiness and relief. Then when she put her hand up to wave at them all—like how she was taught to—the people started to get on their knees to bow.

"My people," she started, the speech ingrained to her mind after reciting it a hundred times. "Rise."

When she saw that everyone was standing, she continued, "I am Cagalli Yula Athha, daughter of King Uzumi Athha and Queen Via Athha; the last member of the royal house of Athha and the proper heir to the throne."

Then, Lord Djibiril came into view as well, strutting down the same aisle with his white pet following behind him. The people below them started to boo at him, and he gritted his teeth in response. They didn't know who he was; but they probably assumed that he was involved with Unato—which was the case in reality, but that front was for a different purpose.

"She was your princess," Djibiril shouted and the people were silenced. The occasional soft murmurs were heard but his voice could easily overpower that noise. His mouth formed a twisted smile with his display of power. "But today, she will be your queen!"

The cheers that came after the announcement were loud and merry. Everywhere below the giant balcony, the people were jumping for joy and crying. For them, having an Athha back on the throne meant freedom.

The blonde continued with her speech. "As you all may know, I have recently turned eighteen, the legal age in Orb. Therefore, I am now considered for the throne. I have been kept in this castle for five years. Like you all, I know how it is to be a prisoner. I know what it is like to suffer. But starting today, I shall have none of that!"

The people applauded again.

"This civil war is happening for all the wrong reasons! It is a great misunderstanding on both sides. Unato Seiran, who has acted as King Regent for the last five years since my father died, has stepped down and handed over the throne back to me. My first act as Queen will be to formally end this altercation! This I do with nothing but Orb's best intentions in mind.

"Now that I am back on the throne, I hope that I will have all of your support. Not just mine, but Orb's as well. There is an enemy we all must fight. And that enemy is the nation of Plant! They are the real cause behind your oppression as well as mine! They are the reason my father, the beloved king, died!"

The cheers now died down as a more serious tone took over the audience.  _War_? They were relieved to hear that their civil war was ending, but to be thrown into a different kind of conflict was a different thing. They were all uncertain, but their queen was resolute in her speech, so they chose to believe in her either way.

"This is the real battle we must be fighting," she concluded her speech there. "Thank you and good day to you all."

She swiveled her feet and went back inside the castle. The shouts of the people broke into a chorus, and the echoes of  _long live the queen_  was heard even from behind the thick wooden doors. Lord Djibiril followed her inside and patted her on the back.

"Your father would have been proud of you," he said.

"My father is a dead man," she said coldly. Then, she put on a wicked smile. "Did I do well?"

"More than well, my lady." Lord Djibiril grinned. Like he told Unato earlier, all was going according to plan. "You could even say you did  _stellar_."

* * *

"Kisaka!" Erica shouted, opening the door to the house. She sounded frantic and she was running towards the parlor where Kisaka, Mu, and Murrue were already seated. They all turned their attention to the agitated woman. "Ahmed—he found Akatsuki while he was riding out. Cagalli wasn't with him."

Murrue's brown eyes widened. "Did you send out men to look for her in the forest?"

Erica nodded. "Sahib and the others are searching right now as we speak."

Mu faced Kisaka and addressed him. "So do you think that's true? Is that her?"

"If she is not found in the forest, then it must be," Kisaka answered gravely, his forehead wrinkling as he furrowed his thick brows. "But why would she do that by herself? And more importantly,  _how_?"

"Colonel Todaka would not deceive us, would he?" Murrue asked.

Kisaka shook his head. "He believes in the young princess as much as we do. This is his messenger hawk, and the letter had his seal. There is nothing in his letter that would suggest that he's lying or is being impersonated." Then, he called for Erica. "Send a hawk to the Waltfelds. Tell them to come here as soon as they can."

There was a hawk sitting on top of a wooden stool, its claws grasping the backrest. Its left leg still had a small piece of rope tied around it, but the paper that was attached to it was now laid on the table.

It contained but a short message, though the words were confidently written.

 _Freedom_ , it said.  _Care of the princess. Return soon._

And no one in the room could fathom what was going on.

_End of Chapter Seven_


	8. Transatlanticism

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heavy Lies The Crown: Chapter Eight  
> by tyrantsandcreampuffs
> 
> The rhythm of my footsteps crossing flatlands  
> to your door have been silenced forevermore.  
> And the distance is quite simply much too far for me to row;  
> it seems farther than ever before.  
> I need you so much closer.
> 
> Song of the Chapter: Transatlanticism by Death Cab For Cutie.

****Heavy Lies The Crown** : Chapter Eight**

by **Starrify**

* * *

 _The rhythm of my footsteps crossing flatlands to your door have been silenced forevermore._  
And the distance is quite simply much too far for me to row; it seems farther than ever before.  
I need you so much closer.

* * *

After a week of staying with the two Hawke siblings and Shinn, Cagalli found herself bored. It wasn't that she had nothing to do, but she really had  _nothing_  to do. She would often request to go around, but Lunamaria only allowed her to go outside the house if Shinn was with her. She wanted to go back to the library because her visit was cut short last time, but she couldn't ask Shinn to go with her because it was still so awkward between the two of them. Thankfully, though, he hadn't spilled her identity to anyone else.

So now she was stuck in her small room yet again. The feeling of entrapment was just as bad as when she was in the safe house. Maybe even worse because at least there she had Kisaka and Erica; here, she barely saw the two siblings because they were working downstairs.

Suddenly there was a knock on her door and she stood up in excitement. Then, she groaned at herself—she felt like a dog anticipating its master to feed it. Cagalli didn't like the comparison at all.

"Miss Cagalli," Meyrin's shy but high voice called for her. "I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you or something—"

"No," Cagalli responded immediately. "Meyrin, you're not disturbing me at all!"

Meyrin was startled at the blonde's loud outburst, but recomposed herself quickly. "I'm sorry, maybe it's not the best time to ask you this since you're still supposedly recuperating, but could you possibly do me a favor? Shinn and Luna are both out and I need someone to buy me a few ingredients for this concoction I've already started. I can't leave it unattended, you see, or else I might end up burning the house, but I need the ingredients as soon as possible or else the batch I'm making right now would turn into waste."

Cagalli smiled at the younger girl. She was a few years younger than her, but she was smart—after all, she was the one making the elixirs and different medicines they were dispensing in the apothecary they handled. "Of course, Meyrin. I don't mind at all."

The young redhead was relieved at this. "Thank you so much, Miss Cagalli!"

Cagalli grabbed her cloak—the one Aisha made for her—and followed Meyrin down the stairs to their shop. There, Meyrin gave her a basket and a small parchment of paper where a few names of herbs were written down.

"Bark of cinchona tree, nettle weeds, rose petals, thyme leaves…" Cagalli went on to read the small list. "Meyrin, I don't know what half of these things are. How will I know if I got the right herbs?"

"There's a stall in the market which is owned by a guy named Vino. Vino Dupre, he has weird hair. Just give him the list and tell him that I sent you! He'll offer a discount." Meyrin dropped a small pouch in the basket; Cagalli assumed it had the money she was going to use to pay for the herbs. "Once you go out of the house, you turn right then straight. Once you reach the fountain, you'll know that's the center of the town. The market is on the left side. Please come back as soon as you can!"

Meyrin ran to the backroom and left Cagalli standing in the middle of their shop. She just nodded dumbly and dragged herself out to the street where the sun was shining brightly, the children were playing along the street, and a few carriages passed by the center of the small road every now and then. It was a refreshing sight since all Cagalli could see from her window was the wall of the house beside theirs.

But now that she was outside, it was just so  _beautiful_. Maybe it was because she was stuck in her room for the past few days, but there was something to the city that she found captivating. It fascinated her in a different way from how the forest appealed to her every time she left her little den. The city, it was  _different_.

It reminded her of Orb.

This was the same sight she saw so often before and she missed it dearly, but Cagalli shook her head from old visions of her home. She was on a quest of sorts, and that was to return back to the apothecary with the herbs Meyrin had asked for. It was the least she could do for their hospitality.

As she walked further into the city, she began to think that perhaps this was the life Kisaka and her father had wished for her—something peaceful and banal in a small town. It was a nice change of pace from all the running she did in the forest and the occasional thievery she attempted at the trade route which led to even more running. But that was all she knew. She's been running her whole life.

And now that it seemed to stop, she wanted to stay where she was. To stay in place and just watch the world move on. Forget everything she's learned and start over. She was no princess here in Plant, and maybe it was for the better that she would never have to be a princess again.

 _No!_  Cagalli scolded herself mentally.  _How could you even think about abandoning Orb?_

Then, her father's words replayed themselves in her head.

_"Remember her ideals, Cagalli. You carry the name of Athha, so you must never lose sight of them. If you do so, then we would have lost all hope of recovering Orb."_

It still hurt her to remember how she had lost her father so quickly that she hadn't gotten the chance to properly say goodbye. It wasn't fair; she thought they were happy, that the kingdom was content—but everything spiraled downward after the coup d'etat by the Seirans, and Cagalli was bent on avenging her kingdom.

Lost in thought while walking in the middle of the road, Cagalli didn't even notice a rider speeding opposite her direction. The horse was a few meters away and was slowing down too slowly that Cagalli would've been hit with a great force if she didn't sidestep—and trip herself in the process.

"Oof," she groaned as she hit the ground, the basket rolling a meter away from her. The hood of her cloak fell to her shoulders and she saw the rider stop and dismount his horse to run towards her.

"We have to stop meeting like this," a voice chuckled above her. From below, Cagalli could only see a big horse and a cloaked rider. He stood against the light of the day, so there was no way for her to identify the rider who had caused her to fall. There were also other people who were looking at her with concern as she  _did_  fall to the ground, but when the rider of the horse offered her his gloved hand, the bystanders carried on with their lives. "Really, this is the third time we've met and you're still on the floor."

Cagalli glared at the stranger. How dare he insult her? But he spoke with her as if he were acquainted with her, and while his voice did sound familiar, she could not simply place it.

"I'm sorry," Cagalli muttered, accepting the stranger's hand. Even his touch was familiar. "I'm not sure if I know you."

He was still holding her hand even when she was already standing. Cagalli was trying to subtly pull her hand away from his grip, but his clutch on her was too strong. After a while, it just started to irritate her, and it seemed to have the opposite effect for the stranger.

"Okay, listen, you creep—and listen well because I am not going to repeat myself. Thank you for helping me stand up, but I don't think I should even be thanking you because you're the reason I fell down in the first place. So if you could just let go of my hand and go to wherever you were originally heading, I'd very much appreciate it because I also need to get going."

But the stranger still wasn't letting her go.

"Cagalli," the guy said and raised his other hand to pull back his cloak slightly. "It's me."

The blonde princess gaped at the blue-haired prince.

"Athrun!"

Cagalli began to scold herself. She had called the prince of the kingdom she was in right now, a creep. He proved to be quite perverted the first time they met in the forest, when he had to take off his top for her to help clean his wound, but still. This was his kingdom she was currently in and she very well knew how commoners are required by law to show their respect for the royals.

She blinked quite a few times, but the sight of messy dark blue fringes didn't go away. She was currently standing dumbstruck and could only think of one thing that commoners immediately do when they see someone from the royal family.

"I am so sorry for telling you off earlier,  _your highness_ ," she said softly, inaudible to anyone else other than the two of them, while on her knees. The sight of a girl kneeling in front of a man on the street startled other passersby and they stopped, ready to aid a vulnerable lass if need be.

Athrun, aware of the attention she was gathering, also knelt down and said loudly, "What was that you lost? I think I saw something roll over a while ago in that direction."

Cagalli stared at him. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, is that so? I'll escort you to wherever you're going as compensation for making you fall earlier!" Athrun replied ecstatically and helped her back up to her feet— _again_. The small crowd that had gathered didn't find anything else to be suspicious and so continued to walk on. Letting out a sigh of relief, Athrun pulled Cagalli closer to him and began to walk to his horse.

"Hey, what gives?" Cagalli glared at him. Inside, though, she could feel her heart thumping rather strongly.  _No, stop it; Lunamaria just fed my brain all these inane thoughts about having a crush on the prince of Plant when in actuality I don't feel anything for him at all!_

"I'm trying to be in disguise here, Cagalli." He told her, and the blonde could feel her heart fluttering at the sound of her name— _again_. "The prince usually isn't supposed to make unexpected visits to cities, but I came here to see how you've been doing. The last time I saw you, you weren't really in your best state."

Cagalli tried to recall the events of the day he found her, but her mind must have been too hazy from her fever. She could remember running away from the safe house, falling, seeing his eyes, and then waking up in Plant. It was all such a blur in her head.

"Well?" Athrun had let go of her wrist and was now looking at her with a soft smile. He looked so different from the guy who had chased her into the forest weeks ago. "Aren't you getting on the horse?"

"I'm not sure if I'm well enough to be on a steed again," she said honestly. Lunamaria would throw a fit if she found out that Cagalli had left the house by herself—what more if Lunamaria found out that she rode a horse? "And besides, I'm only headed to the market. It shouldn't be that far."

Athrun nodded understandingly. "Alright. I passed the market on the way here, and it's only a ten-minute walk away."

Cagalli wasn't sure what to say—or do, because she was with the freaking prince, of all people. And well, he was with the exiled princess of Orb, but no one else in Plant other than Shinn knew that, so she supposed he didn't particularly think of how he was acting with her. So instead she nodded back at him and walked, not looking back at him.

But what Cagalli didn't know was that Athrun was more nervous to meet her than he would be when meeting members of the Supreme Council. He had been preparing a small speech in his head earlier when he decided to take the two-hour horse ride all the way to Februarius City, but he didn't expect to literally bump into her while on the way to the apothecary, and when he saw her again, he forgot all that he wanted to say. He didn't understand how she did so, but she did. She was the only one who could make him so speechless with just one look from her amber eyes.

He wasn't exactly sure what he was thinking when he went off in his horse so early in the morning. He had finished most of his paperwork yesterday. He left the small stack that was left, on his desk with a note to Kira for him to finish. It was the beginning of recruitment season for Zaft, and besides from the annual thousands who wanted to join the military forces of Plant, they had to find ways to recruit more because of his father's intention to start a war against Orb. They had at least a hundred application forms handed in—and as Athrun was the son of the commander-in-chief of the Zaft forces, he was technically second in command, and thus had to review all the applicants because the King was too busy to do so.

But why was he thinking about Zaft? He was with Cagalli now. He had been longing to be back at her side since he had left her in the clinic all bruised and bloodied, though he couldn't place where his compulsion to be with her was stemming from. When he first met her, he wanted to kill her—or at least, to hurt her. But the circumstances of their meeting were different. Now, they were sort of friends.

Friends who weren't talking as they walked to the market.

Athrun couldn't think of anything to tell her. Soon enough, they reached the fountain and just as Meyrin had instructed Cagalli, the market was to the left of it.

"Excuse me," Cagalli stuttered to say to a lady behind one of the stalls. Athrun could tell that she was having difficulty interacting with strangers here in Plant. "Do you know where I could find the stall owned by Vino Dupre? He had weird hair."

"Oh, you mean the skunk?" the lady replied. "His stall's at the back. Turn right then left."

"Turn right then left," Cagalli repeated. "Thank you."

Cagalli started walking in the direction the lady pointed out, almost forgetting that Athrun was there behind her.

"Hey!" Athrun called out. Cagalli stopped in her tracks and looked at him pointedly. "I can't bring my horse inside the market."

"I suppose you'll have to wait out here," Cagalli said with a glare. Really, he was such a bother. Though she knew that she should be more expressive of her gratitude because he was the one to have rescued her and brought her to an infirmary, but it's not like she asked for him to save her. She wasn't a damsel in distress. She took care of herself for five years and did well enough on her own. She didn't need anyone else—not before and certainly not now. "I'll be back."

Athrun sighed in defeat and leaned back on one of the trees. Aegis, his horse, was drinking from the fountain.  _I don't love her_ , he thought again to himself. But what else could he be feeling? Gratitude, perhaps, for the feisty blonde who led him back home. That must have been it, but there was something stronger that his heart was trying to tell him. Something he wasn't sure if he was ready to accept or not, but he felt something for Cagalli. And it terrified him.

Cagalli was back with a basket full of jars that contained all the things in Meyrin's list. As soon as Athrun saw the heavy load she was carrying, he took the basket from her.

"I can carry it just fine!" she argued, trying to get the basket back from him. "Hey, give it back!"

"You're not supposed to be carrying heavy things," Athrun reprimanded her as if he was some doctor. He hung the basket to the horse's side and Aegis shifted its legs to adjust to the weight. "Now, get on the horse. We could get back to the apothecary faster on Aegis."

The blonde glared at him, showing that she was obviously not pleased. Athrun frowned.

"Come on. Don't be too stubborn; I'm only trying to help you."

Her gaze softened—it was true, after all. He had done nothing but try to help her. And she didn't mean to act so cold to him; it was just that she didn't know how else to act. She thought she was never going to see him again as he was the prince and she was just some pariah who attempted to steal a ring from him. But he rescued her— _twice_. And so technically the whole of Orb would have been in gratitude to him.

"Alright," she said and walked closer to his horse. "But I'm not sharing with you."

He smiled, remembering their short journey out of the forest. She had offered him to ride on her horse with her because she had injured him. He gave her his hand to assist her up his horse. "I wouldn't have it any other way,  _princess_."

She retracted her hand and held her breath.  _Did he know? No, he couldn't possibly know._ He did call her that before, in the forest, but still, she was still very paranoid about anyone other than those in the safe house calling her that.

Athrun blinked at her—and adorably so. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, just…don't call me that."

"Princess? But aren't you one? You have a whole kingdom of your own. The forest, right? Isn't it under your rule or something like that?"

Cagalli mounted the horse and positioned herself. She gave an awkward laugh as he continued to stare at her. "Yeah, sure. Let's just go."

Their walk back to the apothecary was just as silent as the walk to the market. Looking up, Athrun could see that Cagalli did recuperate well enough. In fact, from this distance, she didn't look like she was injured at all. Maybe under her cloak were the bruises she had gotten, but overall, she still looked like the same girl he had met in the forest. The same one he didn't believe was real until he saw her again.

He was expecting the trip to the apothecary to be even longer than their trip to the market, what with the silence between them, but they were in front of the shop in no time. She dismounted his horse without any help from him, and took the basket and ran inside the store, leaving him outside and staring dumfounded at the small wooden door.

"I'm so sorry if I took too long, Meyrin!" she shouted once the door closed behind her. The younger Hawke sibling came out from the back room and smiled delightedly at the sight of the blonde with the basket of herbs.

"No, no. You're just in time actually," she said, taking the basket. "Thank you so much, Cagalli!"

"Cagalli!" The older Hawke sibling came running down the stairs with Shinn trailing behind her. "Oh, thank the gods that you're alright! What was Meyrin thinking, letting you just go out on your own? If our parents found out that we let you out without someone with you, they'd kill us! Worse, what if the prince found out? Then we might have been imprisoned in a dungeon or something!"

"No one here is going to be imprisoned in a dungeon or something." With Lunamaria's loud and rushed babbles, none of them noticed that someone else had entered the shop. Athrun put down the hood of his cloak. "But thank you for taking care of Cagalli."

Lunamaria and Meyrin stared at him. Blue hair and emerald eyes—there was only one person left in this kingdom with such traits and he was even more gorgeous than the descriptions other girls had shared.

"Your highness!" they both cried and simultaneously bowed. They looked at each other and glared, both aware that they were competing for the prince's attention.

"Rise," Athrun commanded. "There is no need for such formalities. I'm not really that much of a prince right now; I had just wanted to visit your ward here."

Cagalli was even more irritated with him now. "I'm not their ward!"

Athrun turned and acknowledged the younger black-haired man who was saluting to him. He saluted back and gave a small amused smile. "Now, why are you saluting me?"

"I applied for Zaft, Sir!" Shinn answered stiffly. "And as the prince, you hold the second highest position and must be given due respect, Sir."

Cagalli rolled her eyes. Shinn knew that she was the princess of Orb but he didn't seem to care for her at all.

"All the applicants for this year are still being reviewed. Those who got accepted will be announced next month, and training doesn't start for a few weeks after that," Athrun told him. "You seem to be over-excited…"

"Shinn Asuka, Sir!" Shinn offered his name. "I'm sixteen years of age and was from Orb."

"Orb? My best friend was from Orb and he's also in Zaft," Athrun frowned. If his father did continue with his plan to invade Orb, Kira and Shinn would have to fight against their own kingdom. But he couldn't divulge anything else to anyone right now. "I'm the one who gives the final say in accepting applicants, so I'll look out for your name, Shinn."

Shinn smiled. "Thank you, Sir!"

Athrun turned to face the two redheads. "Do you mind if I took Cagalli out? I'm sure she'd like to see more of Februarius."

"We—" Meyrin began to say, but Lunamaria cut her off.

"We don't mind at all, Prince Athrun!"

Cagalli frowned. "Don't I have a say in this?"

Athrun grinned and the Hawke siblings tried their best not to faint at the sight of the dashing prince. "I suppose you do. Would you like me to take you around Februarius, let you see the museum filled with dead, preserved animals? Or would you rather take the one-hour trip to the renowned beaches of Martius and get there in time to watch the sunset?"

"If you're not going, then I am," Lunamaria whispered, winking.

"Fine," Cagalli groaned, shaking her head at the giggling redhead. "I'll just change my clothes upstairs."

"I also need to replace your bandages before you leave, Cagalli," Lunamaria told her and followed her up the stairs, leaving Meyrin, Shinn, and Athrun in the apothecary downstairs.

Suddenly, a small thunderous roar was heard from the back room.

"Oh no, my concoction!" Meyrin cried and ran to the back room with her basket.

Now it was just Shinn and Athrun left in the shop.

"Prince Athrun, can I get you anything?" Shinn stepped forward. "Water or tea or perhaps biscuits?"

"It's fine, Shinn. You can just call me Athrun," the prince told him kindly. "And don't call me Sir yet either. Not till you're officially a part of Zaft."

Shinn nodded awkwardly, finding it weird to have the prince of a kingdom let him be addressed so informally. "Athrun, if you don't mind me asking, were you the one to bring Cagalli to Plant?"

Athrun nodded back. "I brought her to the hospice managed by the doctors Hawke in Aprilius when she was injured. She had a fever and fell off her horse, so I brought her there. I had asked her to be transferred elsewhere to recover, but I had not expected it to be so far away."

"Do you even know who she is?" Shinn asked, his voice wavering ever so slightly.

"No." Athrun shook his head. "All I know is that her name is Cagalli Yula—she had introduced herself the first time we met. But I don't know anything else about her. Not even her birthday or where she's from."

Despite ignoring Cagalli since he found out that she was the princess of Orb, Shinn did actually care for the blonde. Over the past few days, he had been thinking and realized that she was the only person who can bring Orb back to how it was before. He was still bitter, yes, but he knew he couldn't do anything about both of their circumstances. He accepted that now, but his pride wouldn't let him apologize to her.

 _Maybe it's for the better that you don't know anything about her_ , Shinn thought, looking at the blue-haired prince. If the princess's identity was exposed to the royals of Plant, who knew what would happen to her—and consequently, Orb?

"What about you, Shinn? Do you know who she is?" Athrun asked, his eyebrows slightly furrowed at the enigma that was Cagalli. "She must have told you guys more things than I know now—which is almost nothing, really."

"No," he lied. "I don't really know anything about her either."

"She's ready!" Lunamaria shouted from the top of the stairs. She walked ahead and pulled Shinn behind Athrun.

Cagalli appeared from the stairs and was frowning. She was wearing a red half-coat, white slacks and her riding boots—which Cagalli was alright with wearing, but Lunamaria insisted on fixing her hair and even putting ribbons. As she was walking down the stairs, she was mumbling curses, but that didn't deter Athrun from smiling at her affectionately.

When Cagalli caught Athrun's stare, she asked irritably, "What are  _you_  staring at?"

"You," Athrun answered simply, amused at how cute she was when she was infuriated. Cagalli groaned, trying to pull out the ribbons in her hair but they were tied too tightly and hurt more with every attempt to remove them. Athrun continued to smirk and turned to the Lunamaria and Shinn. "I'll make sure she's back as soon as possible."

Then, he faced Cagalli again. The blonde was fumbling at her sleeves awkwardly and he found it adorable. She didn't find it too amusing, but she grinned anyway.

"Hey,  _pretty boy_. Are you going to keep staring at me like I'm from space or are you going to let me go?"

* * *

She wasn't expecting to be crying—especially not in front of him, of all people—but she was. It wasn't that it wasn't beautiful, because it was really such a sight to behold. It just reminded her of the sunsets on the beaches of Orb, the same ones she'd often go look at with her father from the high tower in their castle. It didn't seem like too long ago that they were laughing despite the cold stony walls, but it was. She was all grown up now, and she knew that she'd never get the chance to do those things—or anything, for the matter—with her father.

Uzumi Nara Athha. Even if her dreams told her that the king of Orb wasn't really her biological parent, he would always be the only father for her.

"Cagalli." Athrun's voice brought her back to reality, and instead of the grey castle walls, she saw his face against the purpling sky. "Is anything the matter?"

"No," she lied, wiping her eyes with the sleeves of her jacket. "Some sand must have blown into my eyes."

"Alright," Athrun said and went down the horse. They had been riding in complete silence for the past hour and while he had wished that they would be able to converse more, he was content with simply being with her. "This is one of the famed beaches of Martius; soft white sand and the clearest waters—although you can't see that it's clear right now because it's already nearing dusk."

She gave a soft smile as he helped her down his steed. "It looks just like the ones in Orb."

Athrun blinked at her. Had he just been given a hint to who she was? "You're from Orb?"

Realizing what she had just admitted, Cagalli's eyes widened. He looked surprised, too, but probably for different reasons, she concluded. She'd let him know a few things, sure, but he didn't need to know the whole truth.

"I grew up in Orb," she told him as she began to take off her boots. She wanted to feel the sand at her feet—or maybe she just wanted it to feel like home again. Athrun tied his horse to a nearby tree and together they walked closer to the shoreline. "The beaches near my home had rougher sands than this, but the water had a lot of fishes. Sometimes, you can just sit there and wait and dolphins would be jumping seemingly out of nowhere."

"That sounds beautiful," Athrun commented with a smile. "I don't remember ever having gone to Orb. I was eleven when the war against the Alliance and Plant ended and the years that followed were difficult what with Mother's death and negotiations. I wish in between the end of the war and the siege of Orb, I could have gone and seen it."

Her heart clenched every time he mentioned Orb, but she knew that it must hurt him some way, too, to mention his deceased mother.

"I can barely remember what happened in those few years after Mother died," Athrun continued to narrate. At this point, Cagalli left her shoes somewhere and they were now walking along the long stretch of sand. She listened to what stories he had to tell because she figured she owed him more than that. "Father became an empty shell and barely saw me. He did his best to get treaties settled between the two kingdoms. I suppose that's what happens when you lose someone you love the most."

The way his emerald eyes stared into her own, unsettled Cagalli—but at the same time it made her stomach feel light and tingly.

"I don't want to lose anyone I love."

"You mean to say your fiancée?" Cagalli tried her best to sound neutral about it, but there was no helping the slight hint of bitterness.

Athrun didn't catch onto that, though. "Yes, I love her dearly, but just as a friend. The one she truly loves is my best friend—there's no denying that."

There was a moment of slight confusion as they both just looked at each other. Cagalli wondered what he meant, why he was looking at her the way he was. Athrun was still thinking of the same thing since he had first parted ways with her— _who was she_? Why did she have to matter so much to him?

"I lost the person I loved the most," she said, averting his gaze. He frowned as she walked on ahead, so he made his steps bigger to catch up to her. "My father, he died when Orb was taken over."

"I'm sorry," he muttered, looking apologetic.

"Why would you be?" She gave a small, light laugh. "It's not as if you were the one who killed him."

Athrun shook his head, not believing that she could find mirth with such a loss. But she was different—so, so different from anyone else he had met before. Cagalli was just really full of surprises and he couldn't resist himself from wanting more of her.

"I suppose you left Orb after the take-over, then," Athrun further deduced. "If you went here, then you should be listed as a refugee in a city record or something, but you're not in any listing. There are almost a thousand refugees here in Plant, but your name isn't accounted for."

"I lived in the forest."

"By yourself? For that long? Don't you have any other family? Your mother, a sibling, or maybe even a cousin?"

 _He doesn't need to know everything_ , Cagalli reminded herself again. But she did find it relieving to be telling someone else of what she felt—and knowing Athrun, he wouldn't judge her for anything she told him. Not after what they had been through before.

"My mother died before I even got to know her," she began to say. "My brother…he didn't know where I was."

"Is he in Plant? I can help you find him so that you can be with him here," he offered.

"No!" Cagalli knew that Kira worked in the castle and was a part of Zaft, so it wasn't impossible that Athrun knew him. So she thought of another lie to tell him. It made her a tad bit guilty, but she needed to protect herself. "My brother lives in the Alliance."

Athrun frowned, sad that she didn't have any family to turn to. "Would you like for me to arrange to bring you to the Alliance? I can have people search for him there, too."

Cagalli bit her lower lip; it was getting harder to continue lying to him. "That's unnecessary. He probably thinks I'm dead anyway and must have gone on with his life."

"But if you said that both your parents died, that means he doesn't have any family left either, doesn't it?" Athrun asked, confused at why she would refuse herself of his generous offer to help. But knowing her, it wasn't so surprising that she doesn't want to give herself a chance to be genuinely happy. He saw that she had issues with herself.

"I'm fine," she said and kicked some sand to the side. "I've been fine by myself."

"You don't need to be alone anymore, Cagalli."

She smiled at the mention of her name.

"That's why I have you now, Athrun."

And he found himself smiling back.

He took her wrist in his hand and they continued to walk along the beach. She didn't seem to mind his touch, so he kept his hand there. "But I know almost nothing of you. All I know is that you're Cagalli Yula, seventeen years old—"

"Actually, I'm eighteen now."

"What? But you were seventeen last time, weren't you?"

Cagalli chuckled. "People—even if they lived in forests—have birthdays, too, you know."

"When did you turn eighteen?" he asked, hoping to finally be able to know more of her.

"The day you found me in the forest was the day before my birthday."

Athrun's lips turned into a straight line. "You spent your whole birthday sleeping."

Cagalli gave another laugh. "Better sleeping than dead, I suppose."

 _Dead_. It still sent shivers down his spine whenever he remembered how she had looked on the trade route, how he had felt at the sight of her so broken.

"I never got to thank you for saving me," Cagalli was now blushing. She didn't know what exactly she was feeling, but she wasn't exactly adverse to him being so close to her. On the contrary, she liked it quite so. She was lucky that the sun was setting because the red on her cheeks wasn't obvious. "I mean, for saving me  _again_. Thank you, Athrun, for everything you've done for me."

"The first time we met," he started, cautiously sliding his hand down to hers. "When I tried to introduce myself, you stopped me. You said you didn't want me to matter. Are your feelings any different now?"

"Yes." That, she couldn't lie to him about. It scared her to think that he meant more to her now than she could have ever expected, and it frightened her even more to imagine that he would have to leave her life once he takes over the throne—or she, his life, when she reclaims her throne. It was inevitable for them to drift apart and there was no certainty that they would see each other again after this. But they both wanted to be together, though they couldn't exactly place their feelings.

What mattered to them was that they were with each other. They had other greater responsibilities to think of, but both offered the other certain clarity. It's as if the world didn't exist, as though they didn't have their kingdoms to worry about.

"I'm glad, then." Athrun couldn't keep the grin off his face. He stopped walking and she got dragged back. He stepped closer to her and stared into her eyes. "I'm lucky to have met you."

The prince couldn't help but find her beautiful as she left her lips slightly parted. Her sun-kissed hair looked a deep shade of golden against the dark hues of the setting sky; her eyes, a light to hold on to as the night came in.

He pulled her into a hug and placed his chin over her head, putting the hand that wasn't holding her hand, to her shoulder.

"There's a war coming," he whispered to her, his hand running through her short blonde tresses. "I don't know yet for sure, but the King intends to announce a war against Orb. I don't want anyone to undergo the same horrors we did when we were children, but I cannot disobey Father."

"A war? Against Orb?" Cagalli gasped, horrified. Her kingdom was already in shambles! And the King of Plant wanted to destroy it even more? She looked up to Athrun and he saw that she was crying. "But why? Why would he want that?"

Athrun sighed. He wasn't supposed to tell anyone outside of the Council about the oncoming war, but there he was, telling Cagalli all that he knew. She seemed to be so strongly opposed to it as he was—and he understood. She must have been traumatized with the loss of her family and friends.

"There's a man named Djibiril. He was a staunch supporter of the late King Azrael of the Alliance, the same man who started the war against Plant," Athrun further explained, his heart feeling heavier at the sight of her despairing. "There is intelligence that he's behind the siege of Orb and plans to use the army to engage Plant in a new war."

"But it has been more than seven years since the war ended, hasn't it? Why would he wait so long to get his revenge?"

"We don't know what exactly his intentions are. We can only assume and prepare for when my father's suspicions are correct."

Her tears kept streaming down her face. Cagalli didn't know what to do now. This was something else entirely, something that could forever hinder her plan to reclaim her throne. If this war persisted, no one would be able to tell how long it would last. It will only end when one kingdom is left with absolutely nothing—and given the state of Orb now, it wouldn't be hard for Plant to win.

She'd lose her kingdom, all her people; and she wouldn't have granted her father's wish of bringing Orb back to how it was before.

Cagalli pushed him away ever so gently and stood at a distance. She turned around and took deep breaths to calm herself. It took her a few minutes to recompose herself, and when she did, she faced him again. "Why are you telling me this?"

He stepped closer once more and brought a hand up to cup her cheek. His thumb wiped the tears that were gathering at the end of her eyes again. "Because you'll be here in Plant and this is my kingdom and as the prince I will do anything in my power to protect it."

His face was nearing hers, but she didn't make any motion to turn away from him.

"I will fight in this war, but only to protect the ones I love." From this close, Cagalli could see nothing else but his eyes. She was mesmerized by the emerald color of them and the lashes that framed them perfectly. "I'll protect you."

Athrun placed his lips on top of hers, but before Cagalli could actually relish in the small contact, he had already pulled away and pulled her into an even tighter hug. It was such a chaste kiss—and her first one, at that—but Cagalli was sure that Athrun could feel her heart pounding against his chest.

And as the prince held the princess in his arms, closing his eyes and breathing in her scent, he thought,  _maybe I do love her_.

They both didn't notice how much time that went by with them just holding one another, but Athrun eventually pulled away and Cagalli frowned.

"I should take you back to Februarius now and head on back to Aprilius as well," he told her, trying to look away in embarrassment. It wasn't that he was ashamed of what he did because he most definitely wasn't. "I wouldn't want to wake up the Hawke sisters so late just to let you in."

She nodded and followed him as they walked back to where they had left her boots and his horse. It was a few moments of silence, but Cagalli could tell that it would persist again between the two of them as they rode back.

"Athrun," she called out, reaching for his hand. He turned around with a mild expression of surprise on his face. She smiled and entwined her fingers with his. "I'll protect you, too."

* * *

"I've returned!" Kisaka shouted into the empty living room. A few seconds after, a few doors opened and people stepped out, greeting the exhausted ex-general.

"And still no sign of the princess?" Mu sighed, seeing no blonde enter through the door. "It's been a week and a half; Kisaka, you've scoured the whole forest by now. I think this should prove that Princess Cagalli's in Orb."

"If that is so, then why aren't we there now, too?" Murrue quipped in from his side. "She wouldn't have left us and she could not have done such a feat by herself. Just because you claim that you can make the impossible possible, doesn't mean she can, too."

Mu frowned. "Don't drag my line into this!"

"Enough, you two," Kisaka sighed, massaging his temples. "We've covered the entire forest, but there's no sign of her. The small den she used to occupy has no traces of her either. It's like she completely disappeared."

"Or perhaps taken by the forest sprites," Erica offered as a joke, but none of the other adults seemed to appreciate her attempt at making the mood lighter. "I think Mu's right. Orb has been liberated and Colonel Todaka attests to the princess's presence, then there should be no doubt about it."

They all proceeded to the dining room table where they had their nightly meetings discussing progresses of their search and other theories they can think of. Kisaka sat at the head, his body aching from being out the whole day for the past week, personally searching the blonde who was supposed to be his ward.

"There should be no doubt," Kisaka repeated, finishing a glass of water. "And yet we all doubt it. If Orb is truly as free as it should be, then why have there been no carriages from Orb? Or an official statement that the refugees who have settled in Plant can return to Orb?"

"Perhaps Cagalli is fixing things so that when people return, it's not as bad?" Mu said, which earned him the irritated glare of his fiancée.

"She wouldn't have abandoned us. She would turn to us for counsel, she would do other things—not simply disappear!" Kisaka continued to rack his head for ideas. He had already sent Sahib to search in the Alliance. Erica had also sent a hawk to the Waltfelds to ask for their assistance in the search for the princess in Plant. "Did Andrew send a hawk with his progress today?"

Erica got a note from her pocket and brought it out for her to read. "So far, he has searched the cities of Junius, Quintilis, September, and Sextilis. Aisha searched in the cities of October, November, and December. None of them have seen Cagalli and neither have they heard reports of a new blonde teenager in the different towns. Tomorrow, Andrew will search in Aprilius while Aisha will search in Februarius."

Murrue then got out another parchment from her pocket. "Sahib said that they have already finished scouting the whole desert, but there's also no sign of Cagalli there."

"It's just like when I looked for her five years ago." Kisaka slumped forward, the glass of water shaking in his hands. "Except now I'm sure she's alive. She's my responsibility; I promised King Uzumi that I would be the one to watch over her. But I lost her again, and I failed our King."

"You failed no one, Kisaka," Erica said. "If anything, it was my fault as I was the one who let her leave. If I convinced her to not go by herself, then maybe we wouldn't be going through all this trouble right now."

Murrue sighed. They were all tired—Kisaka, most especially—but they had no time to wallow in their guilt. They had so many questions that needed to be answered—and more importantly, a princess to be found. "Both of you have nothing to be sorry for. Unexpected things happen more often than not, but they do happen and we need to move on from there. It's been a long day, so let's just all get some rest and start again tomorrow."

Mu smiled, proud of his fiancée because she always knew what to say. "She's right. Let's all go to bed now, shall we?"

The engaged couple stood from the table and greeted the other two a good night before turning into their shared quarters. Erica and Kisaka were left alone in the dining room and when Erica noticed Kisaka wasn't making a move to leave, she stood from her chair.

"Listen, Kisaka." Erica bit her lip. "I'm really sorry. I'll continue to help search for Cagalli; you know I don't want anything to happen to her. None of us do."

"I know. I don't blame you for letting her go. It was what she wanted at the time." Kisaka also stood and took the lamp that lighted the room. Together, they headed back to the living room. "Now, Murrue is right. The past week has been exhausting. You should go rest now as well; Ryuta must be waiting for you to come back to your room."

"Children grow up too fast, don't they, Kisaka?" Erica smiled, pushing the door to the room she shared with her son, open. With the faint light coming from the lamp, she could see the glowing features of her young son. He was fast asleep, clutching a pillow—but when she'd return, he'd be hugging her side instead. "One minute they're playing, running around and then the next, they're—"

"They're running away," Kisaka finished, sighing again for the nth time that night. "Sleep well, Erica."

"You too, Kisaka."

Kisaka entered his own room, blowing out the candle and turning in for the night. He couldn't stop thinking of where the lost princess could possibly be, but knew that Kira was taking her absence worse.

* * *

It was nearing ten o'clock and Kira was barely finished with the new paperwork that had arrived. Athrun had left a note on his desk earlier that said he was going out for the day and that Kira was to finish reviewing the few papers that he wasn't able to finish going through yesterday. When he was done with the small pile, a new batch of applications arrived after noon and Kira took the liberty of reviewing at least half of them. He wasn't able to finish going through his share, but he decided to bring what he had done to Athrun's study anyway.

There was a knight guarding the door to the study, but as everyone in the castle knew that Athrun and Kira were the best of friends, the knight let Kira enter the unoccupied room without any argument.

He dropped the stack of papers onto his neat desk and wrote down his own note for Athrun. He was exhausted, having done nothing but read applications all day. That, and worrying more for his twin sister. He loved her, but he didn't like that she had to be extremely stubborn and had to run off because she thought it would be okay.

Kira wanted to search for her in Plant himself, but Kisaka had told him to keep on working in the castle because it might get somewhat suspicious if he left and then was eventually spotted with a blonde teenager that looked like him. Kira didn't want to just stay and do nothing compared to the others that were scouring the deserts in the hope of finding her there—which he knew was highly improbable, but they were going to take their chances anyway.

The brunet plopped down on the chair that Athrun sat on. It was cushioned and covered with velvet, so it actually felt quite nice. Was this how it felt like to be a prince? If his sister became a queen, would he be able to sit in chairs like this, too?

He hadn't noticed that the window was open and there was a rather strong gush of wind that entered. He had forgotten to place a paperweight over the applications and they were now scattered all over the floor.

"Oh no!" he exclaimed, trying to catch the other papers before they could fall to the ground. He sighed, looking at the mess he made and crouched down to collect them all. He was so tired, so perhaps he could just rearrange them tomorrow—and hopefully not get any of the applications interchanged.

But among the other parchments was an envelope—the one Kira could recognize as the letter he had received from doctors from a hospital. He stared at it, his curiosity overflowing. He respected Athrun's privacy, but he still had the gut feeling that he should open the contents. Even if he read the letter, Athrun wouldn't find out and Kira was sure that it wouldn't affect their friendship in any way.

After replacing the applications on Athrun's desk, he got the envelope and turned it around, seeing the broken wax seal of the Hawke Hospice. Kira's curiosity was eating him alive, so he pulled the letter out and his eyes—adjusted to quickly scanning over all the contents of the different applications—had to slow himself down and reread what was written there.

_Cagalli Yula. Approximately seventeen years of age. Unknown birth date. Unknown nationality. Unknown occupation. Blonde. Petite build. Approximately five feet and four inches in height. Forty-five kilograms in weight. Blood-type A. Broken ribs, a concussion, a few stitches, a mild fever._

Kira was staring intently at the paper and rereading every detail on it. He hadn't even noticed that someone else had entered the room until he heard the wooden door slam.

"The guard outside said you would be here." It was Athrun, and he had the biggest smile on his face despite his disheveled look. "How was your day, Kira? Aren't you going to sleep now?"

But he heard none of that and instead his adrenaline made him rush to his best friend, holding him up against the wall with his fingers clutched tightly over his coat. Athrun stared, aghast, at Kira's dangerously purple eyes. He had never seen Kira look so wild before, but he looked as though he was ready to kill.

"Kira, what's gotten into you—?"

"Where is she?!" He pushed the Prince more forcefully against the wall. The crumpled letter from the hospital fell from his hand and Athrun saw it as it fell on the ground.  _She?_  Athrun wondered,  _did he mean Cagalli?_

"Where is Cagalli?" Kira's hold on Athrun didn't falter. "Where is  _my sister_?"

_End of Chapter Eight_


	9. King And Lionheart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heavy Lies The Crown: Chapter Nine  
> by tyrantsandcreampuffs
> 
> Taking over this town, they should worry,  
> but these problems aside, I think I taught you well.  
> And as the world comes to an end, I'll be there to hold your hand  
> 'cause you're my king and I'm your lionheart.
> 
> Song of the Chapter: King and Lionheart by Of Monsters And Men.

 

_Seven Years Ago_

"I can't believe that I'm finally in Plant!" Cagalli squealed, looking at the various paintings that hung on the brick walls of the castle. For the past few years, her father had said that stepping out of Orb would be dangerous as there was a war occurring outside the borders, between the two other kingdoms, Plant and the Alliance. Her father had said that the reason they were going out was something called diplomacy—Cagalli had yet to understand what that meant, so she nodded eagerly and helped pack up for their trip. "But I didn't think it would be this cold…"

"Unlike Orb, Plant was founded on mountainous terrain," Uzumi supplied, watching his young daughter bounce around. He smiled fondly, taking her small hand in his rough ones. "Sometimes, in the later months of the year, there's snow."

The blonde princess blinked her large amber eyes at her father. "What's snow?"

The gray-haired king continued to drag his daughter along to the throne room where they were expected to be. "Small drops of ice that fall from the sky. They used to believe that it was caused by two married gods arguing in the sky, and those were the tears that came from the eyes of the goddess."

"How can that be?" Cagalli scratched the back of her head with her free hand. "But Haumea isn't married, Father."

"There are other gods beside Haumea, Cagalli." Uzumi found his daughter's innocence so endearing. She was so clueless about how the world worked. But then again, all she knew was how to be a princess. He was going to make certain that she learned more about how life really was, in the years to come. "That aside, I hope you know how to act when we meet with the king."

"Yes, I will curtsy after you introduce me and then I will stay quiet as you talk," Cagalli answered.

They stopped in front of two large wooden doors similar to what they had in their own castle, except obviously a little older. She wasn't surprised, though, as Plant was an older kingdom than Orb. She tried to imagine how the castle in the Alliance looked like. Since it was the oldest kingdom in the mainland, it probably looked ancient.

Their escort stepped aside and bowed to the two royals. "I will now be announcing your presence to King Patrick and Prince Athrun. His court is not present; thus you will be guaranteed your privacy."

"Thank you," Uzumi kindly responded as the escort entered the throne room. He gently squeezed the hand of his daughter. "The young prince is your age, Cagalli."

"Huh?" Cagalli looked up but only saw a teasing smile and a small twinkle in her father's grey eyes. Before she could ask what he had meant by that, she felt herself being pulled into a large, dreary room. The tall windows behind the giant throne weren't covered by any sort of curtains so that light could pass through. It was an empty hall, completely lifeless without the small murmurings of what should have been the King's court. Cagalli only saw an old man—King Patrick, no doubt—sitting regally on his throne. He sat the same way her father did back in Orb. Beside him stood a young boy that was her age, just as Uzumi had told her.

"Patrick," Uzumi greeted informally, nodding at the other king. Cagalli wasn't that surprised; her father had told her that he used to be friends with the patriarch of Plant when they were both still young princes. "I am sorry that we had to meet again under these circumstances."

Patrick stood up as well and walked down to Uzumi, shaking his hand as the two friends met again. "It is a pleasure to see you again, Uzumi."

Uzumi put his hand on Cagalli's back and pushed her forward. "This is my daughter and heiress, Cagalli Yula Athha."

She curtsied, pulling back the inflated skirt of her light green dress. When she looked back up, she found that King Patrick was scrutinizing her. She puffed her cheeks with indignation and scrunched her eyebrows as she tried to examine him back, not letting the old man intimidate her in any way.

But then Patrick laughed bemusedly at the little girl. "Such a strong backbone, this young princess has. No doubt she's an Athha."

"No doubt at all," Uzumi remarked smoothly, patting Cagalli on her head as though she was some pet. Then, his face became somber. "Patrick, I'm sure you know why we came all the way to Plant."

"Of course." Patrick frowned. "Lenore…"

"She was such a kind and beautiful woman," Uzumi offered, a straight line on his lips. "She was Via's friend for the longest time, and she often spoke of Lenore in great admiration."

Patrick retreated to his throne and Uzumi stepped forward to continue their conversation in a closer range. After he sat down, Patrick continued, "I hope you find no offense when I ask you how you found the will to live after Via's death. When you spoke of her before, you kept saying that she was your greatest love." He shot a glance at the young princess, and Uzumi did not miss that.

"It was because of her, Patrick. She was my greatest love, yes, but Cagalli was the last thing Via gave me and she will always be my greatest treasure." Uzumi smiled, looking at his daughter who still stood from the middle of the room. "Your Athrun here looks a lot like Lenore."

Patrick looked over his shoulder where Athrun stood. His young son was obviously nervous as his name was mentioned. The Plant Patriarch sighed; Athrun had Lenore's hair, eyes, and her kind spirit. That was the reason why he found it so difficult to face his son even though he should be ecstatic that the war was over; he had promised Lenore that he would end the war.

"Athrun," he beckoned for his son. "Why don't you keep the young lioness of Orb, some company?"

"Yes, Father." The blue-haired prince transferred his lost gaze to the blonde princess who looked like she was trying too hard to keep her back straight. "I'll give her a tour of the North gardens."

Uzumi smiled at the young prince; something Athrun had yearned for his father to do to him for so long. "Thank you, Prince Athrun."

Athrun bowed to both kings. "It will be my honor to escort the princess Cagalli."

He walked down from the side of the throne and stopped in front of the princess. He examined her and did find her cute with her short golden hair and big ochre eyes. He offered her his arm and she graciously took it, having been accustomed to other guys escorting her.

As they walked out of the throne room, Cagalli look past her shoulders and saw that her father and the prince's father were still talking. When they exited the room, she faced the blue-haired prince and asked, "Where are you taking me?"

He was a bit shocked, not expecting this princess to have a lower voice than other girls he knew—like Lacus, for example. But his composure didn't show it and instead he continued to guide them through the corridors.

"The North Garden," Athrun replied, ignoring the slight glare she was giving him. "My mother personally tended the flowers there. It's mostly filled with red hibiscuses…"

"We have a garden of those, too!" Cagalli squealed informatively, her hand dropping from his arm. She stepped in front of him and was visibly excited. "They're my absolute favorite, so let's go!"

"Okay." Athrun blinked. This girl wasn't acting like a princess  _at all_. But her sunny disposition was a good change from all the dreariness in the castle in the past few days. He gave her a small smile and took her wrist in his hand. "Let's go."

* * *

_Present Time_

"Where is Cagalli? Where is my sister?" Kira continued to shove him against the wall, his grip on his collar not loosening at all. They had trained together in Zaft and they were both on par when it came to their swordsmanship, but Kira was physically stronger than him. "Athrun, tell me where she is!"

"Kira…" Athrun continued to stare at his enraged best friend. He didn't know what to say, what to do; his mind was in a flurry of thoughts.

Kira knew Cagalli. Kira claimed to be Cagalli's brother. But Cagalli had told him that her brother was in the Alliance. They were both from Orb. Cagalli said her father died in the takeover and that her mother died before she knew her. Kira lived in the orphanage that his mother managed.

And then his mind had just supplied him of an old memory from seven years ago. He had met Cagalli Yula before, but she was Cagalli Yula Athha, the princess of Orb. He had taken her into the garden his mother personally tended to, and she had told him to smile more.

Nothing was adding up. Maybe he was overthinking the whole situation, but what he knew from Kira and Cagalli made no sense when he tried to imagine their lives being entangled—as siblings, no less! Nothing was making sense at all.

"I will ask you once more, Athrun." Kira's usually calm purple eyes were hazed with his anger. His tone was dipping deeper with every word; Athrun was finding it harder and harder to believe that this was the same guy he had known for almost all his life. "Where is Cagalli?"

Cagalli Yula Athha—why didn't he think of her when she told him her name? It was true what he had said, that the events that followed the death of his mother and the end of the war, was all such a blur in his mind, but still. He shouldn't have forgotten.

"Februarius, in the apothecary managed by the Hawke sisters," Athrun croaked out and Kira released him immediately. "Kira, how—?"

They stood at a distance from each other. Athrun was busy readjusting his coat while Kira continued to glare at his best friend. "I'm sorry, Athrun, but I can't tell you much right now."

Athrun was afraid to step closer to Kira, so he remained standing next to the wall. "I don't understand."

Kira smiled grimly. "Neither do I, really."

"No, no." Athrun shook his head, but he still couldn't stop thinking of Cagalli as she continued to be such an enigma to him. Now it was even more complicated now that Kira was part of the whole equation. "Cagalli, she—"

"What do you know?" Kira snapped, but looked apologetic afterward. The haze from his eyes was gone now and was replaced with obvious concern—whether it was for Cagalli or for him, Athrun couldn't tell. "Tell me, what do you know about Cagalli?"

"I…" Athrun stuttered, not knowing where to begin. He wracked his head for all the information he has gotten from her, but he really couldn't get most of his facts straight at the moment. "She's eighteen and from Orb. Her parents are dead. She's your sister. She's a princess. She, she liked red hibiscuses…"

"I see." Kira nodded, taking another step back from him. He was taking slow steps to the door, and Athrun found himself unconsciously stepping away from the wooden entrance. "Then you also know how Orb is right now."

Athrun also nodded, but warily. "Of course, I do."

"Orb is in shambles and only Cagalli can save it; only Cagalli can save all of those in Orb."

"But she's too young! She's just as old as you, as me, she can't do such a thing, even I can't—"

The side of the brunet's mouth twitched upward, though with some sort of sadness—pity, was it? Athrun also couldn't tell. "Just because you can't, doesn't mean Cagalli can't either. She's strong. Stronger than anyone else I know."

"Kira, why…" Athrun had so many possible questions to ask him, but he wasn't sure if he was going to find an answer to any of them.  _Why her? Why you? Why is all of this happening? Why is it that those I love have to always leave?_

"I believe she can do it. I believe in Cagalli." The brunet smiled at him; Athrun was afraid that he meant to say goodbye. "I'm sorry, Athrun."

And he was off running out of the room.

"Kira!" Athrun shouted, chasing after him out the door, but he had tripped on the body of the knight that was supposed to be on guard.

"Prince Athrun, I'm sorry! The door opened so fast that I fell and this heavy armor didn't let me regain my bearings and—"

He didn't have time to listen to the knight's apologies. Instead, he stared at the disappearing figure of his best friend, the silhouette lost in the shadows of the dark corridor of the castle. Athrun clenched his fists, his body shaking with mild rage as he helped himself up.

 _This isn't fair_.

And he could almost hear Cagalli speak to him; see her beautiful face staring at him lovingly with the sunset in her eyes.

_It really isn't._

* * *

The younger children were all tucked in their beds by this time, but the older orphans were currently seated around the dining room. The dingy, barricaded windows let no moonlight in and they made do with the small candles that lit the small area.

On the table, there was the note which was printed and handed out to every household in Orb. It was a royal proclamation, meaning it came from the lips of the Queen herself.

"Orb is a free kingdom. The reign of the usurper is no more. You are all free to go on with your lives, to live, and to leave. You are all citizens of Orb and duty-bound to her, but I will take no offense if you would rather leave and find refuge in another kingdom instead of avenging Orb for what the Plant did to her in the last five years," Caridad read carefully to the blind priest and the older children. "To those who are scared of the possible bloodshed, I will try my best to negotiate with Plant for them to cover for the damages brought to our kingdom. However, if no peaceful resolution is found, I wish you do what is in the best interest of Orb. Signed by the Queen Cagalli Yula of the Royal House of Athha."

After the silence to let the message sink in their minds, Sai suggested, "Let's leave Orb."

There was another pause before Reverend Malchio replied.

"No."

"No?"

"With the announcement of the Queen, as much as the sound of leaving Orb is appealing, it will still be unsafe in other kingdoms, especially in the Kingdom of Plant."

"Reverend Malchio, please." Sai rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Then at least consider the Alliance. The children can get a chance to start anew there."

"It doesn't matter where. Everyone gets the equal opportunity to begin another life when they choose to," Malchio supplied, gripping his cane. "Sai, my dear child, have you also forgotten that our beloved Queen Cagalli also announced that she will be announcing a war against Plant? And have you also forgotten that the Alliance is heavily in debt because of their war from almost a decade ago?"

"I'm sure that if we got the chance to see her personally, Cagalli would change her mind!" Tolle cried, slamming his fists on the wooden surface. "Cagalli was our friend. She still is. We  _know_  her. She wouldn't just declare war—she hates the idea of letting anyone suffer!"

Miriallia pulled her boyfriend away from the table and he leaned back into the back of his chair. "That may be true, Tolle," Miriallia began to say. "But it's been five years. Who knows what they could have done to our Cagalli in that time. Maybe she's been manipulated into this."

Kuzzey nodded. "We were there when she made the announcement of Orb's liberation. We all felt that there was something different about her."

"She looks the same," Tolle commented. "Her hair still reaches her shoulders."

"We didn't really see enough of her to tell if there was a great difference," Sai said, replacing his glasses. They were beginning to digress and he still wasn't able to convince Reverend Malchio to transfer the children elsewhere. "Again, the children…"

Reverend Malchio looked deep in thought. "The children will stay in Orb. It is for the best."

Before Sai could protest some more, Caridad intercepted his speech. "Sai, that's enough. Reverend Malchio is correct. It wouldn't benefit anyone if the children migrated to the Alliance."

"Then what is? Staying behind a rotting kingdom, watching our old friend destroy it faster by pulling us into war?" Sai asked, clenching his fists tightly. "I don't believe in Cagalli. The real Cagalli wouldn't have any intention to begin a war. She's not the friend we used to know. I know you all agree with me."

Miriallia looked like she was ready to cry. Tolle held her in his arms as she tried to hold it in, but she agreed with Sai. Living the past five years under the military rule of the Usurper Seiran was terrifying as is. But to go through war? To lose more people, especially those she loved? She couldn't imagine the horrors she'd have to face.

"Nowhere is safe," she whispered sadly, a few tears sliding down her smooth cheeks. Tolle was there to wipe them away, so she smiled—even slightly.

"That doesn't mean we should give up," Kuzzey offered with a small smile. "There's still the slight chance that she won't really pursue Plant."

"Anyone's free to leave," Tolle pointed out. "That means it won't take long until Plant hears the news of our queen's intentions and it also won't take them long to prepare for a counter-attack."

All of them wore worrisome faces with their eyebrows furrowed, their lips in a tight line, and their eyes contemplating as their gaze shifted to and from one another.

"To hope is the only thing we can do," Reverend Malchio spoke up again, his aging face also looked troubled. "In cases like this, all we can do is hope we can win and live."

"No," Sai countered quickly, almost too aggressively. "No. There are other things we can do."

"Like what?" Miriallia asked; Tolle squeezed her hand in his.

Reverend Malchio looked even more upset, the creases on his forehead more prominent than usual.

"We can fight."

* * *

It was barely two hours after midnight. There was a loud rapping at the main door of the apothecary shop, so they were all gathered downstairs. Cagalli, Meyrin, Lunamaria, and also Shinn. They stood immobile, staring at the door as the knocking began to sound more hastened.

Shinn already had his sword out. "You girls should go upstairs. If it's any threat, then I can at least try to ward off whoever that is on the other side of the door until you escape safely."

"Isn't that jumping to conclusions?" Meyrin asked, flinching as there was another set of knocks on their door. "Maybe it's Prince Athrun and he had forgotten something!"

"Prince Athrun wouldn't bother to go out of his way and come here before the dawn breaks," Lunamaria dryly commented, throwing an incredulous look at her younger sister. "You're not even thinking, Meyrin."

The younger redhead's cheeks puffed in indignation. "I'll have you know that I—!"

"Shh," the blonde interrupted them both before a fight could break out between the two Hawke siblings. "I think I heard the other person say something."

And true enough, when they all stepped closer to the door, they heard the muffled murmurs coming from the other side. Cries, pleas—they couldn't quite tell what the other person was saying as the door was thick.

"If none of you are going to open it, then I will," Cagalli cried, exasperated with how they were all overreacting. "Maybe it's someone in desperate need of an elixir of some sort. I'm sure this isn't the first time you've had people knocking so late in the night—or in this case, so early in the morning."

"She does have a point," Shinn agreed, lowering his sword down a bit. "If that was someone on the other side that desperately needed help to save someone from dying, I wouldn't want that person's life on my hands."

Lunamaria sighed—it was true; there were rare occasions where people came knocking on their door before they opened. "But I suppose Cagalli is right." Shinn nodded and stepped forward, clutching his sword tightly with one hand while he brought up the wooden bar behind the door.

The person on the other side burst into the room. Shinn held his sword up and the two Hawkes stepped back, ready to run further if they needed to. Cagalli, however, was stunned.

"Kira?" Cagalli couldn't believe that Kira had found her. She hadn't stepped outside the house other than the time she went to the market for Meyrin, so her presence shouldn't have been prominent enough to be traced. She blinked, making sure that he wasn't some mere apparition caused by her missing her twin. "Kira, what are you—?"

"I'm here to take you back," he said solemnly, glancing at the other younger teenagers situated in the same room. He tried to take a step forward to his sister, but Shinn stood in his way and held his sword out. He didn't mean to sound so crass, but he was tired from arguing with his best friend and riding nonstop. "And I suggest you stand down."

The ruby-eyed boy glared back. "Who are you and what do you want with The Princess?"

The two redheads' eyes widened and they both gaped at the blonde standing in front of them.

"Princess?" Lunamaria gasped, looking—really looking at Cagalli. She did behave so regally at times with her dignified posture and her eloquent way of speaking—that was, if she wasn't swearing at the wall. Was she really of royal blood? Was she a princess due to birth in Orb or the Alliance or from another kingdom in another land, or was she a princess due to marriage? Was she really with Prince Athrun? "Cagalli, what does he mean?"

"Miss Cagalli's a princess?" Meyrin looked between her sister, Cagalli, Shinn, and the brown-haired stranger. She couldn't imagine the swearing blonde to be a dainty princess of any sort.

Kira continued to eye Shinn. "So you know, too."

"I will not ask you again." Shinn still didn't stand down. "What do you want with Cagalli?"

"Shinn, no—" Cagalli croaked, afraid for her brother and for the younger man. She was still in shock with Kira's presence, but she had snapped out of it as soon as she saw the moonlight shimmer on the sharp blade of Shinn's sword. "Please. He's my brother."

Shinn's eyes widened, too, and he looked back and forth between the blonde and the brunet. "You mean to say he's—"

"Not a prince," Kira supplied, quickly grabbing Cagalli by the wrist and dragging her to his side. "You must understand, not everything is as it seems."

"Kira…" Cagalli frowned. There was a change in her brother; she could feel that there was something off. As though he was mad at her, and she would have understood if he was. She tried to run away from the safe house and instead she ended up in Plant. She could only imagine how stressed he was over her. "Kira, couldn't you have waited till morning—"

"Every day you have wasted here was a day in which those in Orb suffered under the rule of Djibiril and Seiran. Every day you continue to spend not working on Orb's liberation is another day of despondence for them! Don't you understand, Cagalli?"

"I do!" Cagalli cried, frustrated with her brother, too. It was all coming back to her now, the reason why she had wanted to temporarily eschew her responsibilities. "But I'm human, too! I'm not some god—Haumea knows so. I can only take so much before I break down, and if I break down, then who will help Orb?"

"You're not doing it alone, we told you. We're there to support you all the way!"

"No, Kira, you don't understand! I want to protect them, to free Orb, to grant my father's last wish for his beloved kingdom! I know I have to do those because I'm the princess and that this is the country Father wanted me to save."

"Everyone has their reason as they want to help you, Cagalli—"

"But you don't understand! You didn't see him off to his death; you don't know how I feel—"

"What exactly do you expect to protect with your feelings?"

And he could have slapped her there and then, and it would've felt the same for her.

When she didn't speak, Kira brought a hand to her shoulder and she faced him, her tears gathering at the bottom of her eyes.

Kira sighed, not resisting his twin sister's crying. "Whether you want to believe it or not, we know how you feel, Cagalli, but the truth remains that there's no one we can help with our sadness. You need to learn to fight. You need to be strong. You know that."

"Do I?" Cagalli couldn't help but to shed tears—she had always acknowledged it as a sign of weakness, the vulnerability she couldn't afford to have. In the forest, she cried only on a few occasions. "Kira, I…"

The brunet watched as his sister fell to the ground, wailing and clutching her heaving chest. Her cries were so painful to hear, but he tolerated them. After all, this was her release—all those years of pent up feelings, frustration. Kira knows she will be free of her own guilt after this.

Soon enough, Cagalli did stand up, though still shaking. She breathed heavily and raised her arm to wipe her tear-stained eyes with her sleeves. Lunamaria, Meyrin, and Shinn could only watch as she walked upstairs—most likely to change and get her belongings.

"You," Kira spoke, and all three of them turned around. "With the black hair. What's your name?"

"Shinn Asuka, Sir," Shinn replied with uncertainty. He looked at Lunamaria, but she seemed just as clueless as ever. "Cagalli said your name was Kira and that you are her brother, but you said that you're not a prince. Does that make you a bastard of King Uzumi or something?"

Kira sighed. He didn't have to explain anything to anyone, but Shinn knew who Cagalli was and he had tried to protect her from him. In a way, Kira trusted him. "I suggest you don't speak ill of her father when she's under the same roof as you. She doesn't take any insult to the King, lightly."

"Then what? Who are you?"

"Neither of us are children of King Uzumi. We're twins; Queen Via was our mother."

Shinn didn't understand—and thought that maybe it was for the best that he didn't. Cagalli arrived at the apothecary with a change in clothing and her small knapsack. She was also wearing her riding cloak, looking very ready to leave.

Cagalli smiled and took the two Hawkes into a hug. "Thank you so much," she whispered and released her hold on them. Then she turned to Shinn. There were no words that could be exchanged between them, so instead she just nodded at him. He returned the gesture and she followed Kira out of the shop.

"Wait!" They heard Lunamaria's shout and they turned around before they could mount on Kira's steed. The three caretakers of Cagalli appeared outside the apothecary. "What are we supposed to tell Prince Athrun if he comes by?"

"Thank him for us," Kira answered, helping Cagalli up his horse. "For taking care of our queen, Orb is also in his gratitude."

Kira followed after Cagalli and sat behind her. "You ready?" he asked, gripping the reigns of his horse.

"Of course I am." Cagalli didn't know if she was or if she will ever be, but she had to be—for the sake of her kingdom. Everything she did in the past weeks was all for Orb. "Let's go."

* * *

It was barely dawn when Athrun began to wake. His body felt sore as he found himself sitting on the cold floor of his office. For a brief moment, he wondered what he was doing there instead of lying on the comfortable mattress in his room. Then he remembered the events that occurred last night.

He was with Cagalli and when he thought he knew her, Kira revealed himself to be her brother and that she wasn't who he thought she was.

And he had spent the rest of the early morning, being in denial on the floor. He groaned into his hands—really, why did he have to fall in love with her?

"I see you're awake," a familiar voice greeted him. Athrun turned his head and found his supposed fiancée seating on his chair.

He didn't want to admit it, but he had wished to see blonde hair instead of pink.

"What are you doing here?" Athrun asked groggily. He stood up and stretched his legs, not that embarrassed by having Lacus see him in such a state. "And how did you know I'd be here?"

"Well." Lacus smiled her usual radiant smile, interlocking her fingers and placing her hands on his desk. "You're either in your room or in your office. I tried your room earlier, but no one was present, so I deduced that you'd be here. I found you sleeping and you looked—no, you still look very much tired, so I didn't think of disturbing you."

Athrun pursed his lips. "That doesn't answer my first question, Lacus."

"There will be a meeting in the Supreme Council chamber later," she answered, standing up from Athrun's chair. "Father was summoned earlier, around four hours after midnight. The meeting starts in an hour, after they all have broken their fast."

"Did Councilman Clyne tell you why the King summoned the Council so early in the morning?"

"The messenger didn't tell him much, only that his presence—along with that of the other council members—was urgently needed in the chamber. But when I had parted with my father, I heard Lady Joule and Lady Canaver say it was about Orb."

At the mention of Cagalli's kingdom, Athrun was suddenly awake and attentive. "What of Orb?"

Lacus didn't miss the eager tone of his voice. "Perhaps you should make yourself look more presentable, eat something, and then enter the chamber and attend the meeting. Unless your father personally tells you to get out, you have the right to stay there and you can find out what is going on."

The blue-haired prince nodded. "Last month, when we went to the Alliance, it seemed that you knew more than I did."

"We meet different people and we learn more of the world from them," she said slowly, walking closer to Athrun. "What about you, Athrun? How much have you found out?"

Athrun blinked confusedly—he often didn't know where Lacus was getting all of the words which came from her mouth, but there was always an undeniable truth in the things she said. "It's as though I knew nothing before."

"My father always told me that that happened to him when he had met my mother. When you're young and you feel very silly." Lacus's light blue eyes glinted with a slight mischievousness that wasn't quite her. "One person in love can recognize when another person is also in love."

"Lacus…"

"Since I was very young, I had always wanted to live in this castle. Even though it is quite dreary and lifeless, it was my dream to be  _the_ Queen," Lacus told him, her eyes looking more sincere now. "Father told me that the only way for me to be so is to marry the Prince—you, Athrun, but when I met you, you were with Kira; I believe that since then, I saw no one else. Not even when your father and your mother agreed to marry you off to me because they thought I would make a good princess."

Still, he found no words to say. "Lacus…"

She smiled back, though slyly. "You always knew, didn't you? I am glad, though. Being your friend was more than enough, and you will always be a treasured friend to me. Because of that, you could at least tell me who the lucky girl is."

"It's quite complicated," Athrun sighed, scratching the back of his head. It wasn't just  _quite_  complicated. Complicated didn't even cover how he felt for her, how their relationship currently was. It was all so terribly convoluted and twisted—as entropic as it can possibly get; it was as though the gods were laughing mockingly at him for even trying to make sense of it.

"I don't believe so." Lacus turned on her feet, her heels tapping the floor lightly as she walked to the door. Athrun, though, stayed rooted to where he was. "There shouldn't be anything complicated when it comes to love."

"It's difficult to explain."

"Don't underestimate my comprehension, Sir Zala."

"She's…" Athrun stopped. How could he even begin to describe someone like Cagalli? He spent a good while racking his head for words that could possibly define her, but there was no singular expression that could epitomize her being. So he gave up and sighed once more. "She is who she is."

Lacus nodded understandingly. "And you are who you are."

Athrun frowned; talks with Lacus often didn't end well in his mind when she started to philosophize with him. Not because he didn't understand, but because her words would often resonate in his thoughts.

"Now, why should that stop you?"

"Because I'm the prince of Plant!" he exclaimed in exasperation, though not really meaning that answer. He felt agitated, what with Lacus asking her questions like that. But then he sighed tiredly, "I am bound to my kingdom."

But when he looked back up to Lacus' eyes, he saw that faint glimmer of mischief once more. Her hand reached for the handle to the door and she carefully pushed it open. With a small smile, she told him, "And to my understanding, she is the princess of her own kingdom, is that not true?"

Athrun could swear that at that moment his jaw had dropped to the floor.

 _She knows_.

"Kira told me everything," she supplied, stepping outside of his office. "Though, not that you're in love with her—I don't think he's aware of your feelings for his sister. But I could easily guess as much. I told you to not underestimate my comprehension just because I'm a woman."

"I've learned my lesson to not underestimate women." He shook his head, his mind bringing up thoughts of Cagalli again. "We are both the sole heirs to our respective kingdoms. She would not give up her throne for anything, I'm sure."

Lacus smiled once more. "Shall we go now, My Prince? I expect the meeting to be starting quite soon. I think you'd want to hear whatever news there is of Orb."

* * *

Absolutely nothing was making sense.

"What in Haumea's name are you doing here?"

Kisaka was more than relieved to know that Cagalli was alive and well—but he had expected her to be alive and well all the way back in Orb. Instead, he had seen Kira on his steed with Cagalli right behind him, through the window while he was having breakfast with the rest of the people. He ran down the steps of the safe house and helped the young princess as she dismounted the horse.

"Do you mean here physically or do you mean what am I doing on this world?" Cagalli answered back, obviously irritated. She marched past him and entered the house by herself, kicking the door open when it almost closed on her. She continued to trudge her way up the stairs and into the familiar corridor she left around two weeks ago. Had it already been half a month? Did she waste that much time?

 _But_ , she reasoned with herself.  _That might as well have been my last chance of living normally._

She opened the door which led to the room which was supposedly hers. Surprisingly—or maybe, not really surprisingly—it was very much vacant. Everything was gone—the brush Erica used to comb through her wild hair, the few blouses folded neatly in one drawer; even the sheet that was supposed to cover the mattress was no longer there. The whole room was bare, save for the obviously new weapon that rested on her bed.

She stared, admiring the quality of the bow and the red leather which covered the quiver. Her feet led her to the side of her bed and she reached out and took one arrow out, inspecting the sharpness of the blade attached to the point.

"Sahib got this from a merchant when they were on their way back from searching for you last week." Kisaka was now standing at her doorway, his big arms crossed. "He said that Ahmed kept telling him of how you were excellent at archery, so he thought of giving you this for when you returned."

Cagalli picked up the bow, her eyebrows furrowing in thought. "I need to do something."

"Why are you here?"

"You tell me." She felt particularly defiant, though she didn't know where all this apprehension was coming from. Cagalli didn't intend to offend anyone—especially not Kisaka. "What am I doing here when Orb needs me?"

Kisaka shook his head and looked as though her presence was giving him a major headache. He grabbed her by the arm and began to drag her by the arm—everyone was just dragging her around lately—and they both went downstairs, to the small dining quarters where around ten other people were standing and looking at her, wide-eyed with shock.

"Cagalli…" Erica muttered under her breath. She also had the same flabbergasted face as everyone else did. Cagalli didn't know why they were all looking at her like she had suddenly grown two heads overnight, but she didn't like it.

"I know I sort of ran away without your permission and I will understand if you guys are pissed with me, but you have to stop looking at me like that!" She stomped her foot, getting more irritated when she saw that even Mu wasn't just kidding with his expression.

"This can't be possible," Murrue cried; Mu instantly faced his fiancée and wrapped one arm around her shoulders. "The Queen should be in Orb, but Cagalli, you're—"

She stopped speaking when Kisaka stepped forward from behind Cagalli, effectively blocking her from their view.

"I know nothing is making sense right now. Cagalli  _will_  answer to us—and from now on we all will have to be very careful with whom we place our trust in." He turned around, and Cagalli was almost frightened by his massive figure looming over her. "Especially you, Princess."

For the first time, she was too intimidated by his tone to speak out.

_That's easy, I don't trust anyone._

But then again, she can't deny that the whirlwind events of the last few months had changed her more than she'd like to admit. She trusted Kisaka with her life. She trusted the people in the safe house, Kira, and the Hawkes and Shinn.

She trusted Athrun, too.

"What is going on?" she demanded, putting both hands on her squared hips. "Why are you all looking at me like that? Where is everyone else?"

"In Orb," Kisaka answered; Cagalli felt her heart stop.

"How could that be?" she screeched, her eyes also widening. "Orb—is free?"

There was a long pause as everyone else in the room tried to make their facts straight. Yes, everyone else knew that Orb was liberated, but their heads were still reeling from the fact that Cagalli was there with them presently, unaware of what happened to Orb during her absence.

Kisaka put his hand on the bewildered blonde's shoulder. "We had received a message from Todaka saying that the Queen Cagalli Yula Athha has declared Orb a free kingdom once more and that people may leave and enter as they wish. Everyone in the safe house was eager to return to the families they left there, so they took a carriage as soon as we received the letter."

"That wasn't me," Cagalli whispered, her free-flowing tears falling on her shoes. Her large ocher eyes looked up to Kisaka and they could all only feel pity for the confused princess. "I wasn't in Orb, I was—"

"In Februarius," Kira finished, uncrossing his arms and standing up straight.

"What in Haumea's good name were you doing all the way in Plant?" Erica asked, just as lost as everyone else.

Cagalli took another deep breath and steadied herself. She couldn't understand anything, grasp the concept of Orb being liberated without her—worse, having someone else steal her identity! As happy as she was that Orb was now free, she was distraught by the fact that it wasn't on her terms. She felt as though all her dreams and those of her father, too, were shattered.

"We need to get to Orb." Cagalli's resolve was back. She had to right everything. She believed that it was her burden to carry. "This isn't right. I need to do  _something_."

"There is another person in Orb who goes by Cagalli Yula Athha, and to have deceived the kingdom meant that she has the appearance to impersonate you," Kisaka pointed out, shaking his head. "If you attempt to enter Orb, they might recognize you and have you taken away."

After a few moments of thinking, Murrue snapped her fingers in enlightenment. "Aisha gave me a powder dye! You put it on your hair, wash it, and it supposedly lasts for a few days until it completely fades."

Mu smiled lovingly at his fiancée. "You're brilliant."

"Shut it; now is not the time." Murrue rolled her eyes at her adoring fiancé. Then, she looked at the young girl. "Well, we can color your hair to temporarily disguise your identity—if you don't mind that."

If Cagalli was crying earlier, it was not obvious now. She stood tall and dignified, calm despite all the distressing revelations she had just heard. She tightly gripped the red bow in her hand, molding her fingers around the somewhat heavy frame.

She wanted peace, and yet she was out for vengeance.

"I'll do anything for Orb."

* * *

The Council was silent as their King was obviously outraged. That was the reason they were called upon so early in the morning—and perhaps for a good reason to.

Siegel Clyne coughed as he began his own speech; no one else was brave enough to speak.

"Then this just proves that our kingdom should not bother with Orb right now. They have a young girl—a girl just as old as your own son—on the throne, trying to fix the damage from internal conflict in the last five years." Siegel frowned; his words didn't seem to fully reach the ears of his friend. "Patrick, we are your advisers. If you don't heed our counsel, there is no discussion to be done."

"No." The deep, stern voice of the King they all knew well echoed in the room as he stood from his high chair and looked at Siegel. "I don't believe that they are simply recuperating. All of our intelligence would have been for naught."

Ezalia Joule shifted in her seat. "Then, Your Highness, you must believe that Orb harbors the man named Djibiril."

"Indeed I do." Patrick nodded. "If he is truly there, then he would want nothing but to destroy our kingdom."

Soft murmurs resounded in the room as the council members began to discuss among themselves. All of them knew the true cause of The Great War between the Alliance and Plant and so they knew that if there was a follower of the late King Muruta Azrael's cult, with the supposed power to control the army of Orb, then it was something that they should all be very concerned about.

"However," the King continued, sitting back down on his chair. "The letter which the messenger from Orb brought does bear the seal of Athha. I do not doubt the so-called freedom of Orb, but Djibiril is a threat to our safety and must be disposed of."

"So are you telling us to go ahead and war with Orb?" Yuri Amalfi questioned.

"This circumstances have changed." Patrick shook his head. "Queen Cagalli Yula Athha...I had met her before, seven years ago. She's very much Uzumi's daughter and she wouldn't bring any sort of dishonor to the name of her house, I'm sure. But she's too young—and with youth comes naivety."

"Let us first get our facts straight," Ezalia cut in. "Djibiril has some hold on Orb through the Seirans. At least, he did have some power. Now, we're not entirely sure if he is still in Orb as the Athha girl took back the throne. We don't know where his exact whereabouts are, but our best bet is that he's hiding somewhere in Orb."

Patrick continued to frown. "Or we can assume that he's still in the castle, controlling the young Athha as a puppet ruler."

Siegel furrowed his thick brows. He didn't like conflict—that, everyone else in the council knew. "That's a big assumption to make. And if acted upon, could have dire consequences for our kingdom."

"I will not forcefully scour Orb, Siegel." Patrick said with obvious disdain in his voice. "What we need is confirmation of Djibiril's whereabouts. If he is truly being harbored by the princess, then we will resort to whatever is necessary in order to avoid further conflict." He looked at each member in the eye with a certain graveness they were all accustomed to. "Any member of Blue Cosmos cannot be taken lightly; Djibiril is no exception."

"So are we to involve the Alliance in this?"

"The Treaty of Junius says that King George Allster will handle the efforts involving the elimination of Blue Cosmos in the Alliance; outside of the boundaries of his kingdom is our problem."

"And yet he had allowed Djibiril to be part of his court for some time?"

"He was loyal to King Azrael, but no one had physical evidence that he was involved with Blue Cosmos," Ezalia spoke as the tension grew between Patrick and Siegel. "As is, it is quite difficult to track members of the cult. As far as I know, King Allster does not support forced inquisitions."

Siegel breathed out, obviously stressed. "King Patrick, my dear old friend, what exactly are you planning to do?"

There were three loud knocks from the massive doors and when they swung open, a knight-guard came into view.

"Announcing the presence of Lady Lacus Clyne, daughter of Sir Siegel Clyne, and the presence of Prince Athrun Zala!"

The supposed couple entered the room, Lacus holding onto Athrun's arm. To everyone in the room, they looked as though they were truly engaged. And they smiled, thinking of how persistent love can be in times of turmoil.

Except Athrun and Lacus weren't in love.

Lacus curtsied; Athrun nodded as every council member stood to regard their presence. He looked around as they all sat back down in their chairs. Eventually, his wandering eyes came to his father and the two Zalas stared at one another, the patriarch of the royal house smirking ever so slightly.

"Athrun, you arrived just in time." Patrick reclined in his seat and held his chin higher than before. "You haven't heard the news of Orb yet, though, have you?"

"No, Your Excellency," Athrun replied coolly, trying not to be wholly intimidated by his own father. Still, with the mention of Orb, he felt his heart go up to his throat. He hadn't even realized he was holding his breath till his father spoke again. "But I would like to be made aware of them, if you will allow it."

"Orb's state will be made public soon, I assure you," Patrick continued to address his son while the rest of the council and Lacus watched as the strained relationship between the King and the Prince showed itself with their interaction. "But Orb is now free, as declared by their new queen, the daughter of Uzumi Nara Athha, Cagalli Yula Athha."

Again, Athrun felt the air being sucked out of his lungs.

"But we have reason to believe that Djibiril, a member of Blue Cosmos, is still in Orb and is possibly manipulating the young queen. We're not even sure if the Seirans have been truly disposed of. For all we know, they might also be conspiring with Djibiril and Athha. Our knowledge is too little, and because of that, we need someone to go to Orb and meet with their queen."

Lacus looked at Athrun and while he gave the appearance of being impassive, she knew that deep inside he felt very confused and wanted nothing but to confine himself to think some more.

"I will have a messenger go to Orb and tell them to expect your presence. You will be there as a diplomat, offering aid from our kingdom even though Orb will claim to be independent." As Patrick continued to speak, the Council listened intently, paying full attention to the King's words. "The Queen will be hospitable, of course, and will house you in their castle. That will be your chance to infiltrate the rooms and see if they do indeed harbor Djibiril."

 _No, I will not do it_ , Athrun wanted to say, because this was Cagalli's kingdom they were talking about. Literally hers, because apparently she was now the Queen—but it didn't add up; wasn't it only yesterday that they were together? How could she have gone back to Orb and coronated in a few hours? He couldn't say no to his father, though, because he knew that he was ultimately under the command of his father, the patriarch of his house and King of Plant. He nodded silently. "The messenger will leave at midday and should be back in a few days. In between that time, you will pack whatever belongings of yours which you wish to bring with you. You will leave promptly with at least four escorts of your choosing. They will assist you in your mission."

Patrick stood, and the Council members soon followed.

"If there are any clarifications or objections, say them now before this meeting is adjourned."

Siegel was the only one to speak. "And what exactly will they do if they find Djibiril in Orb?"

"Athrun knows what the cult of Blue Cosmos did and can do." Patrick cleared his throat and stepped down with slow and heavy steps as he looked over to his son. No matter what he did, the circumstances of his beloved wife's death could not escape his thoughts. "Let us put some trust in the Prince's judgement. Soon, he will have to decide for Plant in my place." He looked around and when he saw that Siegel had stepped back, he let out a loud sigh. "If that is all, then you are all dismissed."

Slowly, the members of the Supreme Council exited the room, carrying the discussion King stopped in front of his son and put his hand on Athrun's shoulders. "I wish you will do what is in the best interest of Plant."

Athrun thought of Cagalli. She would have done the same for her own kingdom. She would have done so much more.

And this was his chance to see her again, to ask for the answer to the question that was her.

"I will."

* * *

Two figures loomed over the young blonde girl as she slept on a settee. She had looked so guileless in her slumber, especially when she shifted and mumbled random words unconsciously.

Yuna knew his place now. He was no longer a prince—not when his father was a damned fool to have claimed himself to be a king when he was a mere usurper to the throne. He turned to face the man standing to his right. Djibiril had thrown the older Seiran into the dungeons, and Yuna was smart enough not to put himself on the bad side of the white-haired man. Not when he had control of a good portion of the militia in Orb.

Yuna would not risk his own death; he still had his own schemes to carry out.

"You will be King," Djibiril spoke softly yet menacingly, careful not to wake the young girl. "She is the key to power here in Orb. By marrying her, you can attain that."

"I have no need for that power," Yuna responded honestly. "And Orb will not take lightly if a union was made between their beloved princess cum queen and the son of the usurper."

Djibiril's perpetual sneer looked more sinister than usual in the dim lighting of the room. "You are not your father. If you prove that to the people, then you will have their approval." He stepped back and walked towards the door, motioning for the younger man to follow after him. They closed the door to the room and walked past various corridors, went down cold steps, and ended at the cells where prisoners of the throne were kept.

The last time Yuna was here was three years ago, to remind himself that his own plans will come to fruition eventually. But he had waited patiently and endured his father's fatuity and Djibiril's presence. Now, seeing the dirty walls of the dungeon, he wondered how the servants that came and fed the different captives could stand the smell of rotting flesh—though they had probably removed any corpse, the squalid stench still remained.

"Yuna?" He turned and saw his father was lying in one of the cells. The injuries he sustained weren't patched up and he could see the infection on his arm getting worse. He scrunched his nose in disgust. Unato had reached a different kind of low in his mind, and it was impossible for Yuna to see him as a father figure—not when he looked so pitiful. "Yuna, my son, you came for me!"

"He didn't come for you." When Djibiril stepped into Unato's line of sight, he let out a piggish squeal and cowered behind the bars. "No one will ever come for you here."

Djibiril continued to walk the dreary corridor. Yuna gave one last fleeting glance at Unato who kept calling for his son to set him free. He paid no heed to the desperate shouts of his father. With the infection spreading on his body, Unato was as good as dead anyway.

"Here we are." Djibiril let out a low whistle when they stopped in front of a cell which was cleaner than the rest they had passed. Inside was a man with long, uncut gray hair and a scruffy beard. Unlike the other prisoners, he looked better; thin and weak with age, but still well-fed compared to the almost lifeless people in other cells. "You look as though you are holding up well."

Tired gray eyes looked up to see foreboding blue ones. "Cagalli..."

"She's not here," Djibiril whispered mockingly as he knelt down to face the prisoner. He pursed his pale lips and let out a crazed laugh, continuing to deride the man in the cell. "But we'll be expecting your daughter to come home soon enough."

The white-haired man stood back on his feet. "And when she arrives, I will see to it that your head is the first one she sees when she enters the castle."

 _Soon_. Djibiril prided himself with his patience. Soon, his plans were to be fully realized. He was to avenge the whole of Blue Cosmos and the death of King Azrael. He was to make certain events happen which will ultimately lead to the destruction of Plant. He was to do everything for the preservation of their blue and pure world, the world which King Azrael had envisioned.

"Soon," he mumbled again under his breath. Soon, everything will go according to his plan.

_End of Chapter Nine_


	10. English Town

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heavy Lies The Crown: Chapter 10  
> by tyrantsandcreampuffs
> 
> It pulls me awake from a bad dream.  
> I don't know why, but I know I'm not ever coming back.  
> In the dark, we can lose our sleep; we can both be kind.
> 
> Song of the Chapter: English Town by Matchbox Twenty

"Lord Djibiril," Stellar drawled disinterestedly, sitting high on her throne like she was taught since she was a little girl. "Do you accept Plant's offer, then?"

The man standing on her right side crumbled the parchment of paper in his hand. It was a letter from the king of Plant himself, congratulating the young princess Cagalli Yula Athha and asking for her permission for his only son, the crown prince of Plant, to be able to witness her coronation and to see if there was anything— _anything at all_ , the letter had said—that Orb needed in order to quickly recover from whatever damages there have been in the last five years.

"Oh, but that is your call to make now,  _Princess_ ," Djibiril grit through his teeth. His plan would not go as smoothly if delegates from Plant would be in Orb, and if the Alliance also decided to send out their own representatives as well, then it'd all be much more complicated. "Would you like to invite the Prince?"

"Certainly," Stellar gave a big smile—which wasn't rare in itself, but Djibiril was more used to the menacing side of her. "He could genuinely help with Orb, I believe."

"And it is your intention now to help this wretched kingdom?" Djibiril glared at the young girl. "Let me remind you, Stellar, of what your place is. I saved you when you were younger, when all of the Alliance wanted to rid the kingdom of those directly related to the late King Azrael. To the people of the Alliance, you are no longer alive. But here you are, doing well enough—because of me."

"If they had known that you were his brother,  _Uncle_ , then they would have been out for your head, too."

"I bear not the name of the house of Azrael; no one knew so I was safe from scrutiny."

" _A poor bastard child of grandpapa_ —"

A slap on her soft cheek stopped any other words from spilling out of her thin lips.

"I will remind you now, Stellar," Djibiril spoke harshly, not regretting hitting his niece at all. The two knights standing at the base of the stairs to the throne, didn't move at all as they were under the orders of Djibiril himself. "I am not the enemy. I did not kill your father; King Patrick Zala of Plant did. And you are very much willing to invite his son to this castle? With the stupid decisions you are making, Stellar, you're going to die."

_You're going to die._

Memories of a dark room flooded Stellar's mind. A dark room—her room, her laying on her bed, a tall man with a knife between his hands, posed to stab at her heart.  _You're going to die_.

"I'm not going to die," she cried, sinking further into the cushions of her throne. "I'm not going to die."

Djibiril stepped closer and stooped to face the small figure. He handed her a small knife with a carved wooden handle and a few precious stones fit into the troughs. "Not if you can protect yourself. Without me, you cannot."

Meanwhile, Yuna stood quietly at the left side of the throne. Stellar and Djibiril were both insane, he knew, but seeing the blonde girl switch back and forth from being overly happy to dangerously threatening was confusing him more and more and made him feel as though he was soon also going to fall into the path of being deluded.

"Let us go now, Yuna," Djibiril was now standing in front of him, his ice blue eyes staring blankly into his. "We have a letter to write to the beloved King Patrick."

Later, when Yuna returned to the throne room, the same guards were still in the room. Except, they were both dead with multiple stabs around their torso—their chain mail not even holding a fight against the madness in the mind of a young girl.

* * *

"Refugees have been returning since we got the message from Todaka," Kisaka said as they ate supper. Cagalli trained the whole day with Mu and Kira, and they had eaten immediately after they took their respective baths. "That was two weeks ago. Since then, at least half of the population of the Orb refugees has returned."

"The government of Plant aids them with the returning," Erica further discussed, biting off a piece of bread. "I think they're quite eager to have the aliens return."

They all looked to Cagalli, who sat quietly at the center of the table. She had been quieter lately, often too busy with her thoughts and her own internal struggles to voice out her own opinions, especially during mealtimes when those left at the safe house gathered. It was only them there anyway—Cagalli, Kisaka, Erica, Mu, Murrue, Sahib, Asagi and the girls, and a few of Sahib's men. Everyone else had left already using makeshift carriages from the wood they got from cut-down trees. Cagalli had wanted to come with the others; to leave and return to Orb as soon as possible, but Kisaka hadn't allowed her to because she couldn't beat Kira in a simple sparring session.

"Well, who could even beat Kira? He's probably worth at least fifty soldiers out there!" she had argued, stomping her mud-ridden feet on the ground like a child.

Kisaka shook his head disapprovingly at the nth tantrum she was throwing that day. "And you're worth much more. You know that."

She had trudged up to her room and cleaned herself up with a bath, skipped dinner, and lied down on her bed. Then she thought to herself,  _How could I be worth more? A life is a life regardless of who possesses it._

After that day, she spent a week and a half training until she was strong enough to put up a fight against Kira and Mu. There were so many broken wooden swords that they eventually used as firewood. Not so deep inside, Cagalli was proud that at least two of those were used by Mu and broken by her. She had also gotten better with her archery with Murrue teaching her how to aim properly. Everyone tried to teach her what they knew. Erica helped her ride horseback more comfortably; Sahib taught her how to tend to wounds properly. Kisaka, especially, never forgot to give her lectures about the history of Orb, the history of things she already knew but apparently still didn't know enough about.

"History doesn't repeat itself," Kisaka had concluded after closing a book in his hand. "Nothing is ever the same—events that happened before are composed of different people of different circumstances. No war is ever the same."

 _But still_. Cagalli retorted in her head, hours after her learning session.  _Loss is loss_.

"Cagalli?" a voice called out to her, bringing her out of her reverie. She looked up from her plate and saw her twin looking at her blankly—and yet, in a way, endearingly. "Do you think you're ready to leave now?"

"What?" she muttered almost unintelligently, not expecting the question at all. "Of course I think I'm ready! But you guys still don't believe that I'm strong enough to protect myself."

Kira sighed, slicing his knife through the small piece of meat. "As much as possible, I wish that it wouldn't ever come to you having to defend yourself. We'll all try to protect you to the best of our abilities."

 _I'll protect you._  A familiar voice echoed from the back of her mind, and she briefly shut her eyes in an attempt to forget the sight of green eyes and the feeling of soft lips, to forget the name of a prince that she couldn't ever be with.

"Cagalli?" This time, it was Erica who spoke with a concerned frown. "Maybe you're too tired to eat. But you had skipped last night's dinner as well, so I don't think that you should miss out on this meal, too."

"I'm fine," Cagalli answered, straightening her back against the chair. "Really, I'm just thinking."

What no one else knew was that she was having more vivid dreams of her mother. Sometimes, she would see Queen Via at functions, regal balls—things that her childhood was full of: puffy dresses, glass flutes filled to the brim with red wine, music from stringed instruments, formal dancing, everything. Sometimes, Via would be twirled into the arms of Uzumi, and Cagalli never saw her father younger and happier.

Sometimes, there was a man with blond hair like hers. He was a doctor, and when he spoke to her mother, it was in hushed tones—tones that Cagalli shouldn't recognize, but that was the same way Athrun spoke to her, so she  _knew_. Her mother was falling in love with a stranger to Cagalli's life. Via was falling in love with Cagalli's father—but not  _her father_.

Those nights, she would wake up alone and more confused as to why she was getting these kinds of visions. She wanted to put the blame on Haumea—the goddess people said who was on her side, blessing and guiding her—but she couldn't bring herself to fault the goddess who might have been the only reason she's alive now.

"She's thinking now, but when I teach her some bits of history, nothing gets past her," Kisaka chuckled, taking a big gulp from his glass of water. "But your thoughts aside, Princess, we've all decided that you're ready."

Cagalli stopped thinking entirely. "I'll get to go back home?"

"We will all get to go home, but more importantly, we will all fight for what we believe is right—we'll fight for you."

She wasn't sure as to what to say since all of them had stood from their seats and bowed to her. She was caught off-guard by their sudden act of respect—to her, of all people. Sometimes, she still couldn't grasp that she was supposed to be a queen, to be  _the_  queen; sometimes that was all she could think about.

"Please," her voice was somewhat muted, yet strong regardless. "I don't wish for any of you to be so formal with me. I've told you all before."

Kira was the last to rise among them and when their eyes locked, her resolve faltered ever so slightly.

"Tomorrow, we will depart after noon." Kisaka sat back down on his chair; the others briefly followed suit. "We will leave along with other refugees coming from Plant and as well as the representatives to be sent by their supreme council. According to Andrew, the prince himself is going to Orb."

Cagalli's eyes never left Kira's; with the new knowledge that the prince of Plant was going to be with them tomorrow, Kira's purple eyes had a dangerous spark in them.

"Andrew and Aisha will bring out two carriages here for us and we'll be among the other civilian carriages for additional safety. They already forged paperwork for each of us, so passage into Orb shouldn't be too difficult." Cagalli averted her eyes from Kira's stare and instead she looked to Kisaka. Kisaka coughed once. "I'm not quite sure what name they used for you, Princess, since you can't really go around entering Orb with Athha attached to your name."

She nodded understandingly. "Of course. Is that all I need to know before I retire for my bed?"

"I will be dying your hair tomorrow morning with Aisha's powder," Murrue spoke up, gently placing her fork at the side of her plate. "We can't risk any refugees from Plant recognizing you."

"It's okay," Cagalli answered dully, rising from her seat. "If you will all excuse me, I will be going up to my room now."

That night, she hardly slept. And if ever she did fall asleep, all she saw was the sight of her father sitting on his throne as the rest of the world burned around him.

* * *

Sunlight was seeping into her windows when Cagalli woke up. After sitting up on her bed and stretching her arms toward the sky, a soft knock resounded from the door and it swung open, revealing an already-dressed Murrue holding a box which contained the powder dye.

"Good morning, Your Highness," Murrue greeted cheerfully. "Since you're already awake, let's break our fast before we try dying your hair. Is that alright?"

"Yes, that would be a good plan," Cagalli yawned, kicked off her blankets, and grounded her feet on the wooden floor. "I'll be at the table presently."

"I'll tell Juri to start your bath as soon as possible, then." Murrue gave her a small smile and closed the door behind her as she walked back out.

They were going to leave in a few hours. In a few hours, she was going to be back in Orb. She would be able to smell the sea and hear the waves crashing onto the giant rocks. She would be able to see the most beautiful sunset in the world, the same sunset she saw with her father countless times. She would run around the old town square freely, not caring for her own safety because the people of Orb loved her dearly; would protect her with their own lives if it came to it.

_Would they still do so for a coward of a princess?_

She walked slowly down, keeping herself light on her feet. There was something different about the aura of the safe house, something that made it feel more festive. Was it really the fact that everyone would be going back to Orb?

"Good morning, Cagalli," Kira said, giving her a small smile.

"Good morning to you, too, Kira."

"It'll take us a few days to reach Orb if we'll be travelling at the same pace as a normal carriage would," he told her as he took out her seat from the table. "Aisha and Andrew will be supplying us two carriages and we will meet them on the trade route, a good distance from the sight of the watch guards of the Plant kingdom."

"And what are we supposed to take along with us?"

"Everything we have here. Kisaka and the others built this safe house out of trees they felled. Those belong to the forest and as such this house will return to the forest."

"You mean to be burned to the ground," Cagalli said. "Like how we burned the dead at the sea back in Orb."

The other adults took their respective seats around the table and consumed their food as fast as they could, not even bothering to spare Cagalli a word. But she understood; they were all busy preparing to leave, and they also had to salvage everything they owned before they burned the safe house down.

"Princess, if you're done throwing your bread back and forth on your plate, then we should head on up and begin dying your hair."

Cagalli looked up and embarrassedly set aside her fork. She nodded dumbly, staring at Murrue's half-stern half-amused face as though she was staring into space.

"Oh, right." Cagalli stood from her seat, and so did everyone else stood—out of respect for their supposed Queen. She could only give a small lopsided grin. "How long till we leave?"

"Around two hours from now, Princess," Kisaka supplied.

_Two hours. And then around three days till I get back to Orb._

As Murrue began to lather her hair with a powder that smelled an awful lot like tea, Cagalli couldn't help but think that while she would be finally home, she'll be farther than ever from the new home she found in the lean arms of a blue-haired prince.

* * *

"Um, Your Highness, Sir—"

"Shinn, you can just call me Athrun. I've told you that before."

"Oh, I've forgotten." Shinn scratched the back of his head awkwardly; questioning ruby eyes looking at kind emerald ones. "Well, Athrun, are you quite okay with me being in the same carriage as you? I could rise on a horse instead like the others—"

"Shinn." Athrun stretched out the band of his glove and leaned back on the cushion of his wide seat. "Just relax. The ones outside—while they are my friends—are also soldiers of Zaft. Their duty is to be my official escorts, but of course, calling this trip to Orb a small vacation wouldn't be so bad either."

The younger black-haired man decided to follow suit, and after a curt nod of acknowledgement to what the Prince had said, leaned back into his own seat. He had never known such luxury—not in Orb and most certainly not in Plant. He figured that the overall cost of making this carriage was more than the cost of all the houses on the street he lived in in Februarius, what with the carriage being studded with different precious stones.

To be in a carriage like this with a prince of a kingdom—well, Shinn certainly never expected for it to happen. And to have been given a kindness such as a chance to go home to Orb… Shinn owed the Prince so much. Definitely, he was in his debt. But there was also the fact that he was still slightly suspicious of Athrun's motives with Cagalli.

Then again, what else would a prince want with a princess?

"How do you want to pass the time, Shinn?" Athrun asked him.

"Well," he answered unsurely. "You can tell me about this trip? This is only my second time on the trade route. And while you're at it, you can also tell me of this area."

Athrun blinked. "You mean you really don't know of the trade route?"

Shinn just shook his head.

"Okay then." Athrun stood up straight, thinking of where to start. "There around a hundred other refugees travelling with us right now. Captain Waldfelt and his wife are at the front—I think they went out early to clear the road, so we'll meet them somewhere along the trade route sometime later."

"Who is Captain Waltfeld?"

"An admirable man who's been in Zaft's service for around two decades now. He was the one who taught me how to fight with a sword."

"Oh."

"Who taught you how to use a sword, Shinn?"

Shinn scratched his head again and gave an awkward smile. "My father, when I was young, gifted me with wooden swords. He taught me how to swing and hit."

"I see." Athrun nodded, wondering if bringing Shinn along would be for naught if his family was no longer in Orb. "The trade route is… well, it is the route travelled by merchants. To our right is the mountain range; beyond that is a desert."

"Where most of the fighting between the Alliance and Plant happened," Shinn remarked.

"Yes." Athrun felt his heart constrict at the memory of his mother. "To our left if the forest known for its cautionary tales of fairies and ghosts and—I'm not quite sure; they say it's just haunted by spirits."

_Or haunted by memories of a feisty blonde who turned out to be an exiled princess._

"Oh, I almost forgot about those."

"About what?"

"In Orb, my mother told me those kinds of stories. Housewives' tales, my father called them. But my mother insisted that they were true, and that I shouldn't ever step foot in the forest or else the fairies would steal me away."

Shinn gave a small chuckle. "Thinking about it now, I should have appreciated all those moments with my family…"

"Of course." Athrun replied deftly, smiling at the younger boy. "Family first is supposed to be one of the tenets of our house."

"Forgive me, Prince Athrun!" Shinn bowed from his waist, embarrassed for himself. "I didn't mean to offend you by what I said—"

Athrun shook his head and reached for Shinn's shoulder to help him sit back up. "No, Shinn. It's fine. My mother may be gone, but what is important is that I treasure her memory—which my father may not be able to do as he seems to have pushed aside all his memories of her. You are honoring your parents by remembering them. You'll see them in Orb soon, I am sure."

Shinn frowned. "I hope so, too."

* * *

"At full speed, you can get to Orb in a day—but that's if you have a mechanical horse that doesn't easily tire," Erica said excitedly about horses. "And since the Alliance is farther up beyond Orb, then it will take the same horse a total of three days to get from Plant to the Alliance."

"That is…" Murrue struggled to say; Cagalli struggled to hold in her laugh. "Quite the interesting fact, Erica."

"How long till the carriages from Plant arrive?" Cagalli asked nervously. What she wanted to ask was  _how long till Athrun arrives?_

"In a few minutes, I think." Aisha answered while leaning on the door of the carriage. The ends of her blue and orange dress moved with the wind, and Cagalli really couldn't help but find her inspiring with her beauty and grace. The three older women with her were all inspiring in their own way. "I must say, Your Highness, you really do look like your mother now. Your golden hair is beautiful, but brown suits you just as well."

Cagalli smiled. "I never really resembled my father, so I must look like my mother somehow."

Aisha smiled back at her. "Oh, Princess Cagalli, I can't wait to see you in more regal clothes. I can just imagine you in a long gown! Light green would befit you, I'm sure."

"They're here!" Andrew yelled from half a mile away. He was now on his horse and riding back to the two carriages. When he got to Cagalli's carriage, he stopped. "Now, Princess, if anyone asks—"

She groaned irritably. "Yes, I know, I know. My name is Yula La Flaga, second cousin twice removed of Mu La Flaga—gross—and I'm only fifteen years old. I was born in Junius but given away for adoption and was raised in Februarius by a kind old lady who owned a bakery. When that lady—I mean, my mother—when she died, Mu became my legal guardian. Did I get that right?"

"Perfect." Andrew gave her a small wink. "Let's go, Aisha."

Cagalli looked at the navy-haired woman. "You mean you're not going to be riding with us in the carriage?"

Aisha, like Andrew, winked at her as she walked off. "And let the boys have all the fun riding on the horses? I don't think so." She held the reigns of Kira's horse as he jumped off and entered Cagalli's carriage.

"Hey," Kira said ever so childishly. "If you ladies don't mind, I'll be sitting with you."

 _Is Kira hiding?_  Cagalli thought, wondering if his riding in a carriage instead of a horse had anything to do with Athrun. Now that she thought about it, Kira said that he was a member of the army—of course Athrun would know his subordinate. Or perhaps whoever the Prince had with him as escorts would recognize him.

"Not at all, Kira," Murrue replied for them with a bright smile.

They spent the rest of the day reminiscing, talking about the things they missed in Orb and would be glad to see again.

"Ryuta must be with his father right now," Erica said—she had told her son to go on with the other refugees while she stayed behind in the safe house. "Even if we no longer have control of Morgenroete, as long as they're both safe, I'll be happy."

But Cagalli couldn't bear the thought of being content with just going back home. There would be no proper home for her to go to—not when there was an impostor on her rightful throne. Especially not when her whole kingdom was going to be under the threat of a new war.

Eventually, the ladies took a nap, tired from exchanging stories and theories of what happened to who or if this person was still alive. Kira stayed awake so that he'd be alert in case they needed him outside. After a few hours, the carriage stopped and woke everyone in the carriage. There was a knock on the carriage door and Aisha's smiling face appeared in the quarter light.

"We're stopping here before it gets too dark to set up camp," she explained, leaning onto the carriage. Kira scrambled out, looking out at his surroundings before putting up the hood of his coat. "From here, it should take us another day and a half to get to Orb."

Erica turned to face Kira. "You're going to man up and help set up tents."

"No," Cagalli objected deftly, exiting the carriage. "There are soldiers from Plant with us—they might recognize Kira. I'll help."

Aisha looked at Erica and Murrue; the latter just shrugged and Aisha sighed afterwards, knowing that they couldn't really convince Cagalli to stay back and let other people do the work.

"I don't think anyone would recognize me," Cagalli huffed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Come on; I thought that was the point of changing the color of my hair!"

"Alright." Aisha ruffled Cagalli's hair. "They're setting up camp over there and they need people to go into the forest to collect some firewood."

Cagalli's eyes almost gleamed at the mention of the forest she knew well. "The best firewood is somewhere in the middle. If you let me take a horse, I can collect a fair share of wood."

Kira frowned. Whenever Cagalli mentioned things about the forest which showed just how well she knew the area, it just stressed how much time she spent by herself, surviving on what little she knew of nature. "I'll come with you."

"How about no?" Cagalli rolled her eyes irritably. "I want to go alone. I'm not going to run off this time, I swear."

Erica coughed, stepping out of the carriage. "At least bring a lamp with you."

"Actually…" Cagalli drifted off about how they were near the middle of the trade route and that she lived in an abandoned den somewhere in the heart of the forest. There were some things she was able to steal from passing carriages like books and clothes and a few toys.

"I'll only take with me the things of value! And I will collect firewood there. I was also able to steal a lamp before which should still be working, so you guys should just keep your lamp here in case anyone else needs it." Cagalli ended with a sly smile, obviously confident with her plan. "I don't want any of you to go because I want to say goodbye to the forest in my own way. I'm sorry if it sounds selfish of me."

"No, Princess," Murrue replied. "We understand. If it's in the heart of the forest, you should head out now before it gets too dark to navigate even with a lamp."

Cagalli's smile became even wider. "Thank you! I'll be back in an hour."

Kira was still frowning even after Cagalli had left on Kusanagi's back.

"Hey." Erica put a hand on Kira's shoulder. "Cagalli did have a point there, with you being recognizable by those in Zaft. Why don't you take this chance to rest? You can keep guard later tonight, if that makes you think you're more useful."

"Thanks," Kira cried in exasperation, heading back into the carriage. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that Cagalli was doing something wrong by going back into the forest.

* * *

Athrun stepped out of his carriage and stretched his arm towards the sky. Yawning, he put a gloved hand over his mouth and looked around him; he frowned once his eyes landed on his escorts.

"Still haven't had enough of your beauty sleep?" Dearka teased running a hand through his blond hair coolly. "Oh,  _Princess_  Athrun! You should stay in your carriage lest the sunset damages your cheeks!"

Yzak let out a loud laugh. "Precious Zala's still too good to ride on horseback, it seems."

"Guys, cut it out," Nicol cried, defending Athrun. "The King ordered us to make sure Athrun would stay inside his carriage and not ride out on the trade route."

Shiho remained as silent as ever.

"You are all terrible," Athrun commented, massaging his temples at a new migraine forming due to hearing Yzak Joule laugh. "Since we stopped, I am assuming that we are going to make camp here?"

"Would you prefer being in the forest?" Yzak scoffed. "If Mother were here, then she'd definitely bring up all those stories again."

Athrun beckoned for Shinn to exit the carriage as well. "Then thank the gods that Lady Joule isn't here."

Before Yzak could retaliate with words, Andrew Waltfeldt appeared before them. The four escorts stood in a line and saluted to the captain.

"Now I wish they would give me half of that respect." Athrun walked to Andrew's side while the latter was still inspecting each of the young soldiers' salutes. "But Yzak would rather let Shiho dress him up than acknowledge that I have a higher formal ranking than him."

Yzak wasn't looking at Athrun, but the Prince could already tell that Yzak was ready to punch the daylight out of him—heir of a kingdom or not.

"Well then," Andrew laughed. "I've got to be brewing some coffee soon for those of us keeping guard tonight. I expect you four to be among us once we set up fire and camp for the refugees."

"Yes, Sir!" the four said simultaneously.

"I hope you four also offer your assistance to the others even if they're not from the same kingdom as you four. Lives are still lives, regardless of the King they pledge their allegiance to. Especially in wars, I hope you all remember that."

"Yes, Sir!"

"And this, I address to the son of Lady Joule: respect your prince. Once he's the King, you'll find that being on his good side beats the alternative of being dead."

"Yes, Sir!" Yzak shouted louder than before; Athrun suppressed a chortle.

"Lastly, you guys should set up your own camp. After you're done, help out the other refugees with setting up their tents and looking for firewood." Andrew brought his hand up and saluted back. "I expect you to follow those orders as proper soldiers."

The four brought their hands down and slightly hunched their backs after Andrew turned around and walked away. Without acknowledging Athrun anymore, Yzak began to unload the tents off the back of one carriage. Shiho glanced at the Prince and gave a small uneasy smile, apologizing silently on her fiance's behalf. Athrun nodded and Shiho went to where Yzak was standing.

Dearka whistled lowly. "I sure hope there's at least one pretty girl from all those returning to Orb."

Nicol patted his back and gently pushed him toward the direction of the refugee camp. "Pretty, but years younger than you, maybe."

"I'm not that old," Dearka complained. "I'm just two years older than Athrun and Yzak."

"We'll see." Nicol looked over his shoulder and smiled, continuing to walk with Dearka.

Shinn, meanwhile, looked confused. "So they're your friends?"

"More or less." Athrun thought of Kira who was supposed to be his best friend. Shaking off the heavy feeling in his chest, he called out to Yzak, "Do you and Shiho need any help with setting up camp?"

"No!" Yzak yelled back. "But you can make yourself useful by gathering firewood from the forest. I remember Lacus asking for my help retrieving you when you chased after some thief. You should know the place better than any of us."

"Alright," Athrun acquiesced, pushing back memories of a blonde girl with wild amber eyes. "Shinn, hand me the lamp."

Shinn reached for the lamp in the carriage and gave it to Athrun. "There are bandits here on the trade route? And you chased him into the forest?"

 _There was one_ , Athrun thought as he stepped on the stirrup.  _She said her name was Yula_.

As Athrun rode into the forest, Shinn chased after him. "Hey! You're not taking me with you?"

"Go help Yzak or something," he replied after he was nearing the edge of the forest. He didn't want anyone else to be with him, not when he wanted to remember Cagalli and how beautiful she was with the sun in her eyes. "I'll be back with enough firewood before it gets too dark."

Shinn put his hands on his knees to support himself, taking in air to catch his breath. When he looked up, he could no longer see the outline of Athrun or his horse in the thick trees. He looked up; the sun was about to set.

* * *

 _That was all of it_ , Cagalli decided as she loaded the few possessions she had from the den. A tattered blanket, a few books, and a lamp—whether it was still functional or not, Cagalli didn't know yet. She left behind the small bag that she had on with her when she and Kisaka escaped from Orb; there was nothing left of its content anyway. She had drunk up what medicine there was when she was having a fever and there were certainly no more provisions for her to consume. Only the letter from her father was left—and that, she quickly stashed into the sack.

She had to move on if she wanted to get back to Orb. There would be no more of the past to haunt her. Her father would want her to save Orb—coming back and reclaiming her throne would be the best way to honor the memory of Uzumi Nara Athha.

Cagalli held the sack close to her chest, its weight slightly pulling her to the ground. Those were the last five years of her life she'd be leaving behind. This would probably be the last time she'd step into the forest. She closed the sack with a piece of rope and tossed it on her shoulder while she held the lamp in her hand.

After collecting a sack full of firewood, she simply ran off. In her excitement to tread the familiar ground with her own feet, she had tied the horse a good distance away. Now she realized that it wasn't such a good idea, even with the light from the lamp guiding her. She never stepped out of her den when it was night so she couldn't tell where she was going.

"Damn it," Cagalli cursed out loud. "Where do I go now?"

She walked around a mile, trying to retrace her steps—but she couldn't find the tree she tied the horse to. Aside from her being tired, her candle was going to run out of wick to burn out soon.

Luckily for her, she saw another lamp shining from at least fifty meters away. If she was fortunate enough, then her candle would last before she reached the other person who was probably collecting firewood, too.

But when she was near enough to see at least half of the person's face, she almost wished she had gotten lost in the opposite direction.

"Athrun."

* * *

He knew that voice.

"Cagalli."

It was like he wasn't even thinking—his hand moved so that the light could shine to the direction of the sound and his feet were taking steps forward. That was how he would react to her from now on. She was like the missing part of his entire existence, attracting his soul to her being like a moth to a flame. She was his flame, and she burned bright even in the dark, it seemed.

 _Please_ , he thought, his mind desperate for her, to be consumed by her mere presence once more. She knew him and understood him; she showed how much she cared for him in spite of everything they've been through. She was the only one he needed—he'd forsake his kingdom for her, he decided, even when he knew nothing of her.  _I know you, I know you_ , he tried to convince himself some more.

"Cagalli," he called for her once more, moving his hand from left to right, shining light on the general vicinity. He tried to speak, but no words came out of his mouth. Athrun found that he could only say her name.

* * *

She was hiding behind one thick tree. If she ran now, she would trip in the darkness; but right now, it looked like a better option that being discovered by him. If he knew she was travelling with him... Well, she didn't know what he'd do, but he would be in the way of her getting back her throne, that was for sure.

So Cagalli ran.

Roots she swore weren't there before, were suddenly there. She fell on her knees almost every ten meters, but her determined ankles wouldn't let her stop. Her bruised and wounded legs carried her until she reached a clearing where there was enough light seeping through the canopy of leaves to let her see that her horse was tied nearby. Draining all of her energy, she threw herself onto the back of the horse after she untied the rope from the tree.

"Go," she whispered, and the horse followed, running at a reasonably fast pace without her falling off.  _Please_ , she begged in her head, but had nothing in her to voice it.

Later on, when she arrived near the carriage and Kira and Erica rushed to carry her back inside for her to lay down, Cagalli realized that when she saw Athrun, her heart had stopped and she had dropped her belongings from the forest.

* * *

He could have sworn that was Cagalli. But she was supposed to be in Orb, wasn't she? They left as soon as his father received a letter from the Queen of Orb. That was supposed to be Cagalli, wasn't it? Kira told him she would reclaim her throne or something—and she did, didn't she? Wasn't that the reason he agreed to go to Orb?

Athrun shook his head. Maybe it had been just his mind playing games with him; but surely he wasn't going insane.

Stepping further into the forest, he found that he had stepped on something that didn't feel like how the floor the forest felt like. Athrun shined the light over the ground and found a canvas sack.

"That's odd," he whispered himself, trying to ignore the shiver that briefly ran down his spine. He shined the light around him once more to check that no one was watching him. He picked up the small sack and walked back to his horse. He tied the sack to the saddle and put all of the firewood he collected into a separate sack.

While he was riding back to the trade route, all he could think about was Cagalli.

"Athrun!" Nicol greeted him first when he returned. "We were worried that you wouldn't come back soon."

"We really weren't," Yzak retorted; Shiho promptly stepped on his foot. "Ouch! Damn it, Shiho—"

Dearka offered his hand to Athrun. "You need any help getting down, Princess?"

"Haha," Athrun mocked, jumping down on his own. "Tomorrow morning, before we all head out again, I want you to check every carriage for a girl with golden hair. If you find her, bring her to me. That is an order; is that understood?"

Sensing the seriousness in the Prince's tone, the four of them saluted in acknowledgement. "Yes, Sir!"

When Athrun turned around and headed for the camp that was set up beside his carriage, Nicol called out, "Aren't you going to eat, Your Highness?"

"I don't feel hungry."

"But surely you're tired from heading out into the forest," Dearka commented, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Another objection from any of you and I will make sure that none of you will get to eat until we get to Orb," Athrun growled, annoyed. "Just let me be."

After Athrun entered his tent, Yzak rolled his eyes and began to untie the sack of firewood from the horse.

"Spoiled prince."

* * *

Cagalli opened her eyes to angry gray ones.

"What in Haumea's name happened to you last night?" Kisaka practically exploded with his anger. "To be covered in wounds and bruises! Were you attacked by wolves or something?"

"I—"  _I saw Athrun, that's what happened._

"From the looks of it, she tripped on roots and was scratched by bushes." Kira was standing behind Kisaka with his arms crossed. Mu, Murrue, and Erica were also standing behind Kisaka. "Am I right, Cagalli?"

She nodded, supporting herself to sit up. "I ran out of light before I could find my horse again."

Kira continued to frown. If anything, she looked  _haunted_. Perhaps letting her go into the forest to supposedly say goodbye to her past wasn't such a good idea. She would continue to be tormented by those demons, he knew, but she was strong enough to at least not let it show.

"I'll reapply some ointment onto the scratches," Murrue quipped, stepping forward. "I'm sure Cagalli would appreciate some privacy."

Everyone else nodded and slowly exited the tent one by one. Kira was the last to leave.

"I'll bring back some food for you to eat before we resume travelling."

Cagalli smiled. "Thank you, Kira."

Murrue opened a jar filled with what looked like green horse dung—and it smelled like it, too. Cagalli recognized it as a healing ointment which the Hawke sisters also had in their store. "You were unconscious last night, so I don't think you remember having felt anything. This will sting a bit."

When the cold paste touched her skin, it was as though it was sudden ablaze with fire. Cagalli hissed and bit on her hand to keep herself from shouting. It didn't sting  _a bit_ —it was like a bee was attacking her repeatedly all over her legs.

"There." Murrue closed the jar and wiped the ointment onto a towel. "We should reapply it every now and then if we want your legs to get better faster. Whatever you passed through in the forest, it was sharp enough to cut through your pants and cut deep into your skin."

"And whose idea was it to put me in a skirt?"

"Well, it's easier to apply the medicine that way, isn't it?"

Cagalli grimaced. "You do have a point."

Kira re-entered the tent with a small loaf of bread and a bowl of some soup. He handed the food to Cagalli who accepted the sustenance gratefully. She devoured the food quickly—almost in a barbaric manner, Murrue noted with a small grin.

"Excuse me," a slightly pitched voice came from outside. Neither Murrue nor Cagalli recognized the voice, but Kira did—and as soon as he knew it was, he put up the hood of his jacket and turned around. "May I come in?"

"Who is that, Kira?" Murrue asked.

"A soldier from Zaft," he coughed. "Most likely an escort of the Prince."

"Cagalli?" Murrue turned to the princess.

She stood up and dusted off her skirt. She called out, "Please do enter!"

A young face greeted them as he moved aside the flaps of the opening of the tent to come inside. Cagalli inspected him and he looked too young to be a soldier. At most, he was probably sixteen years old.

"My name is Nicol Amalfi and I'm here on the Prince's orders. Forgive me for the intrusion, ladies and..." Nicol looked at the figure that wasn't facing him.

"Oh, don't mind him," Cagalli said, offering a bright smile to match Nicol's. "What is it that the Prince ordered?"

Nicol looked at the two ladies in the tent. None of them had golden hair that the Prince described. The two were probably mother and daughter as they had the same shade of brown for their hair. And the other person in the tent was a guy. So none of them were who Athrun was looking for.

"Nothing that concerns you three, I suppose," Nicol answered politely. "I'm sorry to have bothered you."

"Is that so?" Murruue questioned. "If we could be of any help to find what you're looking for, then please just do ask of our assistance."

"No, it's fine." Nicol shook his head. "Thank you."

And the three of them were alone in the tent once more.

Kira put the hood of his coat down and Murrue turned to face him. "What was that about?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. But it looked like the Prince was looking for something." Then he glanced at Cagalli. "Or perhaps someone."

The older brunette looked at the two twins. She had to do a double-take because they looked eerily similar now that Cagalli also had brown hair. "Whatever it is that you two know, it doesn't concern me, does it? I'll just go help pack up the tents now."

"Does he know you're here?" Kira murmured, scooting to sit beside his sister. "Why is he looking for someone?"

"You can't be sure that Athrun is searching for someone," Cagalli argued defensively. "And he doesn't know I'm here. I'm sure."

"So you two are on a first-name basis now?"

"What is it to you? You never really answered me about how you found me in Februarius."

"I forced it out of Athrun. After I found some documents from a hospice you were kept in, in his office."

"Oh." Cagalli didn't like how angry Kira was sounding in this conversation, but her curiosity for whatever truth there was could not be simply satiated with a few answers. "Wait, you  _forced_  it out of him? He's a prince!"

"He was my best friend before I knew he was one."

"Your best friend... Athrun was your best friend. Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"I never thought it was relevant. I didn't know it would ever be relevant. Do you know how angry I was to find out that he kept you from me?"

"I can imagine that you were quite mad with him for that?"

"Very."

"Well he didn't know, did he?" Cagalli asked, playing around nervously with the hem of her skirt. "I mean, if he knew that you and I were remotely related, then he would have told you of what had happened to me—"

Kira cut her off immediately. "I still haven't forgiven you completely for leaving."

She remained silent, looking at the simple patterns stitched onto the long skirt she was wearing.

"I may not be in a position to ask you to seek for forgiveness for wanting your own freedom," he said, looking at her with all seriousness in his purple eyes. "Instead you chose to head out and escape. You'd rather run away then face the reality of your problems."

"I thought we already talked about this when you found me in Februarius."

"Yes, but you need to get it in your head—"

"Get what in my head?" she snapped, standing tall and defiant on her feet. "That I would ' _rather run away then face the reality of my problems_ '? What exactly are my problems? That Orb isn't being run by me? Is that my problem, Kira? Was that somehow all my fault? Could I have possibly helped it at that time?"

When he gave no answer, she continued, "No one ever stops to think about how I feel. Sometimes I feel like I'm on the verge of giving up, and I'm not even halfway there yet."

"You two." Kisaka suddenly appeared at the entrance of the tent. "I heard shouting from outside, but Murrue said that it was just the two of you in here. You can continue arguing in the carriage later. Right now, this tent needs to be packed up."

"Right." Kira seemed very eager to exit the small area; Cagalli frowned at her brother's capriciousness. "I'll go help outside now."

After Kira left, Kisaka raised one thick brow at his ward. "You alright?"

She nodded because there really was no other choice.

* * *

"There were only three girls who were blonde and none of them was the girl you're looking for." Yzak was beginning to berate him, but Athrun wasn't hearing any of it. "I think it was a waste of time to have us look at every tent or carriage in the camp to ask if there was a blonde girl because the Prince of Plant wanted to see if she was his true love or something—"

"Shut up before I leave you here on the trade route with no horse or carriage to take you back home," Athrun replied stiffly, taking a drink from his jug of water. "You shouldn't be saying those things; I have a fiancée."

Dearka gave a wolfish grin. "If you still think of her as your fiancée even after all those puppy-eyed looks she keeps sending towards Kira's direction, then... You can believe what you want to believe, but we're pretty sure that pretty girl isn't into you, Princess."

Nicol joined in the conversation. "Where is Kira anyway?"

"I let him go back to Orb as soon as we got the letter from the Queen of Orb saying that refugees could return," Athrun answered coolly. "It also explains why you haven't seen him around the castle lately."

"Well, speaking of the Queen of Orb, I heard that she was a total babe," Dearka told them in a hushed tone, careful not to be overheard by the other refugees. "I was talking to one of the ladies at the camp, and if what she says about how the old Queen used to look like, then her daughter shouldn't be too far off."

Athrun rolled his eyes. Cagalli was  _beautiful_ and soon they would all know of her beauty as well. "Get on your horses. Once the carriage in front of us moves, then we should start moving as well."

Shiho raised her hand to speak. "I thought we were waiting for your guest, that Asuka boy."

"He decided to ride in another carriage with other young refugees like him. Perhaps he found a familiar friend or an old neighbor of his." Athrun shrugged, stepping into the carriage. "Just knock when something of notable interest happens."

"I doubt anything will happen on this cursed half-deserted rode," Yzak muttered under his breath. Athrun heard it right before he closed the door to his carriage.

The Prince sighed and looked outside of his quarter light. He had been on this rode at least a hundred times. He had spent weeks of his life travelling back and forth from Aprilius to Copernicus. He knew the view of the mountains and the forest; slightly memorized the landscape after hours of looking out bored, wondering if they were anywhere near Plant.

But somehow there were things that changed. Half of the trade route was now compromised by his memories of Cagalli—a rogue in brown blending in with the tall trunks of the trees, a wild-eyed girl lost in her own territory, a weak soul in a fragile body injured and bleeding to uncertain death. Now, all he could see was Cagalli on her horse, riding faster than most of the guys that he knew, laughing as the sunset reflected off her eyes.

He could have sworn that she was there with him last night.

* * *

The rest of the trip was uneventful.

They didn't let Cagalli step out of the carriage unless it was because she had to answer a call from nature and head into the forest for a while. Even then, Erica had to be with her so that she wouldn't go off on her own and hurt herself again. In actuality, she was beginning to feel like some dog on a leash.

When it was night time again, they told her to stay inside her tent. Kira slept in the same tent as her, and while they did have their own altercation earlier in the morning, Cagalli was comforted by his presence, no matter how silent he was. She was glad that she at least had him.

After she woke up from her nightmare of a dream, she saw that he was also there, sitting, watching her. Somehow, they didn't need any words to know what the other had just seen in their slumber.

The following day, her heart kept beating bruises onto her chest. Kira sat beside her in the carriage, letting her hold his hand and squeeze it when she felt too nervous. All Erica and Murrue could offer her was an awkward smile. The nap she took that afternoon was hard to fall into, but eventually she slept, relaxing a bit while reclining her head on Kira's shoulder. When her eyes opened again, it was dark outside, but for some reason, they were still moving. Her head was racking for ideas as to why, but then the faint scent of the sea filled her nostrils, filled her every sense. She looked to her right; Kira was also awake.

Less than an hour later, the carriage stopped.

"We're here."

_End of Chapter Ten_


	11. Bones

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heavy Lies The Crown: Chapter Eleven  
> by tyrantsandcreampuffs
> 
> Life slips away and the ghosts come to play.  
> These are hard times for dreamers and love lost believers.  
> Man-made madness and the romance of sadness;  
> a beautiful dance that happened by chance.
> 
> Song of the Chapter: Bones by MSMR

"Welcome back to Orb."

Kisaka nodded at the wiser man who had been the former head of the King's guards. It was more than five years since they've last seen each other, and Kisaka could see how much those years weighed down on the older man.

"It's good to be back, General."

Todaka accepted the former general's hand and shook it briefly. The other guards around him were not part of the faction composed of loyalists to the Athhas, and so if any of them figured out Kisaka's identity, then it would not spell any good for either of them.

A younger guard approached them. "Requesting permission to start collecting paperwork from the immigrants, Sir!"

"I came here to personally escort the Prince from the Kingdom of Plant. I will see to the collection myself."

"But, General, there are around twenty carriages and wagons in this group. It will be faster if we assisted you—"

"And it is by the Queen's orders that I do this task by myself." Todaka's voice was calm and complacent, surprising Kisaka with his demeanor. "Unless you'd want to go against her words and I'd have to report your misdeed so that you'd receive apt punishment."

The guard nodded quickly, afraid. "No, Sir!"

After the guard went back to the others, he walked in step with Kisaka to the first carriage.

"The Queen's orders, huh?" Kisaka asked with a grave chuckle. "Have you seen your Queen in person? Did she tell you that command herself?"

"No," Todaka answered. "I haven't seen her since the fall of the Userper. Unato Seiran just disappeared from the castle one day, and then she appeared announcing to the people that she has returned—from where, I don't know. Mana said that there are maids and doctors that are sent up to the tower almost every day; some of which don't return alive. I thought that Cagalli was the one being kept there, so I didn't question it."

"I was just as confused when you sent us the message about Orb's liberation." Kisaka clicked his tongue. "Things aren't quite as they seem, are they?"

"I've tried to make sense of so much, but even the military is in the dark about so many things with our monarchy."

"Perhaps only to those who were in the military before the Usurper arrived."

"Perhaps." Todaka shook his head. He didn't like thinking about how strange events were happening in their kingdom. "Now, I need to see proper paperwork. While you all stayed out of Plant, I'm sure you and your group do have legitimate papers to show otherwise I cannot assist you get into Orb."

"Of course, of course." Kisaka led Todaka to the first carriage. He took out all their papers from his messenger bag and let out a nervous cough before opening the door.

Todaka also coughed before reading out the names out loud. "Ledonir Kisaka, Erica Simmons, Kira Yamato, Murrue Ramius, and Yula La Flaga. Please raise your hands if your names were called—except you, Kisaka. I already know who you are."

The four who were seated in the carriage raised their hands, looking at the General. He raised his lamp to see the four faces and when the light landed on Cagalli's face, he stood flabbergasted.

"Kisaka, she's… She looks just like Queen Via—"

Cagalli felt like crying, but forced her tears back. "I look like my mother."

Todaka immediately knelt, the hilt of his sword hitting the door. If this was the true heiress to the throne, then who was living in the castle now?

"Your Majesty, forgive me—"

She shushed him back. "Please, no one must know."

"This is injustice!" His head hung low; his eyes rooted on the rough ground. He was ashamed to have served someone else, an impostor. "The people have been deceived! Orb has been kept in the dark for so long—five years of silence, and now that we were led to believe that we were finally free, you show us that the person currently sitting on the throne isn't you; is another usurper shaming the name of Athha!"

"General, please rise." Cagalli felt uncomfortable. Being so close to Orb meant being close to the reality of the whole complicated situation. When she met Todaka's gray eyes, she spoke softly, "No one must know. Perhaps only the most loyal men who you know will believe in my claim."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Here, my name is Yula La Flaga," she forced the name out of her lips. "Now rise before you start a commotion and the wrong people will know of my identity."

Kisaka put a hand on his shoulder after Todaka stood. "I will contact you once more after we've figured out a plan."

"You mean you came to Orb with no plan at all?"

"We need to learn first who we are up against."

"And it is only twenty of you against a thousand men serving under the Usurper! Surely you hadn't intended to send yourselves to die!"

"No one will die," Cagalli intervened. It was a lie, of course, because by now she had learned that there will always be casualties. But she wanted to help it, if only to lessen the pain of her people. "I do not wish anyone else to suffer. A man kills another man for vengeance, and someone else kills him to avenge the other man…"

"I understand," Todaka muttered. "But know this: every man who once served under your father will also serve you. We will lay down our lives if need be—"

"I've heard enough of that crap from Kira and Kisaka."

"Cagalli," Kira warned, his voice getting dangerously low for someone of his temperament. "Stop that."

She shook her head. "If you may let me, General, I'd like to go ahead and see Orb by myself."

Todaka was more eager to be in her favor. "Yes, of course—"

"Don't even try humoring her, General," Murrue quipped from her seat. "She'll surely cause a stir wherever she goes, regardless of her identity."

"I agree." Kira couldn't help the laugh coming from his throat. "Or if she goes, she shouldn't go alone. I'll go with her."

"Fine." For once, Cagalli agreed to have an escort. But it was her brother, and she felt that she needed him by her side if she were to see the old brick streets she used to run through. She wasn't sure if she could handle the whole sight of her kingdom—how were the people? Were they truly living in impoverishment or were they all better off with a usurper controlling their lives? She tried to shake off her thoughts, but her anxiousness was getting the better of her. "Let's go now."

She jumped out of the carriage and got on the back of Akatsuki. She looked back and smiled fondly at Kusanagi. He was now the one supporting one of the wagons which carried sacks full of their possessions. Kira soon followed after her and climbed onto another horse. He held the lamp to guide their way into the kingdom.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She knew she wasn't.

* * *

"Shinn Asuka?"

"That would be me," the young man answered. His red eyes looked up to find smiling old gray ones. "Is there something wrong with my papers, Sir?"

"Not at all, Sir Asuka." Todaka shook his head and handed back the papers to the boy. "Welcome back to Orb."

The door to the carriage closed and soon they were in motion once more. Shinn swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat—all the guilt that has piled up on his bones for the last five years would finally be gone. He had faulted himself for being able to escape Orb while his parents and his younger sister were left behind; while he had prayed every day for Haumea to keep them safe, he still didn't think that was enough. Seeing them alive and well was going to be more than enough for him.

They passed by dark streets and alleyways which Shinn couldn't identify, but every time he looked out of the quarter light, he saw wooden houses with slightly dim candle lights shining from the windows. Behind those windows, Shinn imagined families having their late supper of bread and cheese and a few scraps of meat, if they could afford it. He imagined his own family eating happily whatever they had, wondering where their only son was.

Surely his family must have missed him as he missed them; his younger sister, especially, who he was very close to ever since she was born. He was very protective of her; he remembered how he had beat up a few kids who had taunted her—until now, he still had tendencies to be violent, but Lunamaria was able to calm him down after a few years.

He was brought out of his wistful thoughts by a knock on their carriage.

"Our first stop's here, center of Heliopolis," the man spoke with a tired look on his face. "I'm sure you lot can find your way home from here. If any of you are going to Onogoro, move to the other carriage which will stop at a place where you could rent a bed for the night then take a boat out to the outlying islands tomorrow. Your bags are on the wagon—"

Shinn stepped out as fast as he could and breathed in the familiar salty air. It had been too long since he left. He took his bag from the wagon and rushed to the direction of the marketplace. He couldn't remember the way home from where the carriages stopped, but he at least knew the steps to take from the last stall on the right—that used to be where his mother sold flowers, after all.

He walked as fast as he could, very anxious to see the faces of his family after all those years apart. He almost stumbled over a few loose bricks here and then, but he composed himself quickly and started his pace again. A few minutes later he arrived in front of a small house which looked more like a shanty, but Shinn knew this was his home. His heart raced as he saw a sliver of yellow-orange light coming from inside and before he knew it his hand was eagerly rapping on the wooden door.

The door creaked open and an old lady stood behind it.

"Who the hell are you?"

The lady frowned at the language of the young teenager in front of her, but her frown turned into a pitiful grimace after she saw the red of his eyes.

"Your name is Shinn, isn't it?"

"How do you know—"

"The Asukas were my friends and they let me and my husband stay here during the reign of the Usurper."

"And so? Where are my parents?"

"One night they were unjustly accused of being part of one of the protests and they were taken away by soldiers and they never returned. They had asked me to take care of Mayu—"

"Where is my sister?!"

"She ran away two weeks after that and I've not heard from her since."

"You're lying!" Shinn unsheathed his sword and pointed it to her. It had caught her off guard, but she collectedly stood her ground. "My parents are alive; my sister, she's—"

The lady pushed the trembling sword down with her palm. "And what would I have to gain from not telling the truth? Come in, Shinn, as this is your home before it is mine. Allow me to take care of you so that I may honor the promise I made to your parents."

Shinn stepped back, stumbling over his own foot and landing roughly on the ground. His elbows were scratched and most probably bleeding, but the physical pain could not match the torment he was feeling inside.

"Please, let me and my husband help you, Shinn—"

But he didn't hear the lady's pleas. All he could hear was the cracking of the foundation below him. As far as he knew, he no longer had an impetus, no reason to go on since he had lived for the days he would be with his family again. So he began to run as far away as possible—his feet leading him to where he always went to clear his head when he was younger.

He stood on top of the cliff and looked down. During the day, the sea was calmer; but as it was dark and the moon pulled on the waters, the sea was the tempest most described it to be. In the land of peace that was supposedly the Kingdom of Orb, one couldn't be truly at peace neither on land nor on the surrounding waters.

He closed his eyes and took in the scent of the sea once more. He stepped closer and closer to the edge, his feet no longer an afterthought.

* * *

"It's definitely smaller than the castle in Plant."

"The size of the home of the royal family is proportional to how large the kingdom is."

"The architecture is superb!"

"Never mind the architecture, those paintings are amazing!"

"There is a beach nearby, isn't there? I'd like to collect some seashells to bring back home…"

Athrun frowned in irritation. His escorts, while all highly trained in the merciless art of killing, could be childish at times. As they walked through the dim passages that led to their respective rooms, he couldn't help but also admire what little he could see of the castle. He'd have to ask someone to tour them all tomorrow.

If Cagalli would make an appearance, of course he would ask her to personally tour them—or maybe just him without his friends.

"You're awfully quiet, Zala," Yzak retorted, crossing his arms. He glanced behind them to check if the servants were following them with their baggage. "What's on your mind?"

"I was wondering if we could get a proper tour of the castle."

Todaka stopped in his steps and turned around to face the small group. He gave them a rare smile—as there was so little reason to smile in Orb in the past few years. "Tomorrow morning after you all have eaten, someone will be able to lead you around. If the Princess makes an appearance, then you all can consider yourself lucky."

 _What does he mean by lucky?_  Athrun thought. They resumed walking and soon ended up on the second floor on the West wing.

"This is it, boys—and lady." Todaka nodded at the servants and they went into the rooms to put down the baggage of the guests and when they re-emerged from the rooms, they bowed respectfully and scurried away like rats in the daylight. "If you've any concerns, just ring the bells in your room—they're connected to the servants' chamber and someone will see to you promptly."

"Isn't that nifty," Dearka said with a low whistle. "Any guarantees that the servant coming to me would be a female?"

Athrun rolled his eyes. "Please don't mind him."

Todaka gave a hearty laugh. "I wasn't intending to. In any case, I was given the task of being your escorts during the duration of your stay. The letter which the Princess wrote which has the orders say that you are welcome to stay for as long as you need, and that if anything happens to you, it is my responsibility."

 _So does that mean Cagalli didn't give him the orders personally?_  Athrun furrowed his brows in thought. There were a lot of things that weren't making sense in Orb.

"Now, are you young boys in need of any further assistance or will you let me retire?"

The Prince considered asking him to step into his room so that they could have a conversation in private wherein he could ask about Cagalli; why she was rarely seen around, why she had to give orders through letters. But he didn't know the General. As far as he knew, anyone in the castle could be still loyal to the Usurper. If he asked him something about the Princess, then surely they would be immediately suspicious of him.

"No, thank you, General Todaka," Athrun spoke as he eyed the rest of his comrades. "Thank you for all your help so far."

"It was and will be my pleasure to assist you in any way that I can." Todaka bowed deeply to show his respect for the Prince of Plant. "If you all will excuse me."

After Todaka left the five of them, they all looked for which room contained their belongings. Athrun entered his room and while it was smaller than his room back in his castle— _obviously_ —it was still quite comfortable. In the middle of the room was his bed covered in fine linen and what he assumed to be feathered pillows. He was used to luxury, but he was more than okay to have this modest accommodation. He had slept on more uncomfortable surfaces before—like over leaves and dirt.

After unpacking a few of his belongings, a knock came from the other side of the door.

"It's Nicol, Yzak, Shiho, and Dearka. May we come in?"

"Go ahead!" he called out; he hadn't locked the door as he anticipated that they would see him before they slept. "What is it?"

"I want to make this quick, Zala. We're all very tired from having to ride horseback for the past few days—while you probably just sat on your lazy ass in your fancy carriage." Yzak yawned and covered his mouth. "Do you need reports of our travels on the trade route?"

"I don't, but Father or the council might want to see how banal our trip was."

"Does that mean we get to report your small search for a blonde?" Dearka smirked teasingly. "Us golden-haired fellows can be quite charming—"

Athrun glared at his blonde friend. "That part isn't necessary."

"You'll have our individual reports on the trip before breakfast, Your Highness," Shiho said bluntly. Her fiancé was yawning for the nth time and his weariness was beginning to affect her as well. "Is there anything else you need before we return to our respective rooms?"

"They don't need to be done tonight; just make sure that they're done before we go back to Plant. I'm not sure how long we'll be staying here, but the Princess's coronation is happening around two weeks from now."

"Athrun." Nicol stepped forward, the brave little lion cub that he was. "I saw that you were hesitant when General Todaka asked if you needed anything else from him. Why?"

He sighed; of course Nicol would've sensed that.

"Close the door. What I will tell you now will not leave this room."

* * *

The two siblings arrived an hour after Kisaka, Mu, and Murrue settled in the orphanage; both of them more solemn than they were when they entered Orb. After being fed, they proceeded to sit in the small, stuffy parlor of the orphanage, where Cagalli told everyone present of what had happened to her while she was away. Everyone was practically silenced after hearing the entirety—or so they thought, as she had purposely left out her interactions with Athrun—of the brunette's story.

"I knew that it wasn't you whom we saw back then," Miriallia said softly. "I can't believe all that you went through, Cagalli…"

"I can't believe it, too," Cagalli whispered back, her voice unsteady from having to recall painful memories. And yet she wasn't crying, to everyone's amazement. She could notice their pitiful looks, how they sympathized with her tragedy. "But I'm here now, so I have to do what I have to, don't I?"

Sai pushed his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose. "And that is to reclaim the throne? The Usurper had a few thousand men on his side. Whoever's replaced him must still be on their side because I've noticed the same people doing rotations on the city. Right, Miriallia?"

The quiet girl nodded. When Sai addressed her, she had flinched; the small action didn't go unseen in Cagalli's eyes. "Yes; this time, though, they haven't provoked the people the way they would have before…"

"Is it really that there is a usurper to the previous one?" Reverend Malchio spoke from his chair, his voice ever soothing and confident. "Or is it that the same man has given different orders?"

"Are you implying that the Seirans are still actually in the castle?" Cagalli asked.

"I imply nothing as I know nothing. I just want you to note all the uncertainties you have. If you choose to tackle this problem headfirst, Princess, than you might be blindsided as soon as you walk into your previous home."

"Then what do you suggest I do, Reverend? There is no way for me to truly know what is behind the walls of the castle."

"All of your assumptions must be accounted for. When you encounter something that will make your plans go awry, then you must know how to act and proceed."

"I feel like I've gone to some psychic…"

Kisaka gave a low chuckle at how exasperated the princess was becoming. It was his duty to keep the young girl safe and as such it was now also his duty to make sure that if any of their plans do go awry, then the Princess will come out unscathed.

"You should listen to him, Cagalli," Kira spoke up. He sat beside his mother and when Cagalli looked to his direction, her eyes fell to the floor once more. It hurt her that Kira still had his mother while she didn't have the only parent she had ever known. "He's just telling you to stop being reckless."

"That could be another way to put it," Malchio commented with a warm smile, the same smile that Cagalli remembered to have calmed her down when she was much younger. "You must remember, Princess, that your life is more valuable for the sole reason that you are accountable for many more; but that doesn't necessarily put your life above that of anyone else."

"I…understand?" Cagalli just gave him a grin instead—which, while he couldn't see, he was able to feel. "Thank you, Reverend Malchio. I'll remember your words when I'm out there trying to not die."

Sai clenched his fists at what Cagalli said. While he understood that she had her own share of suffering throughout the years, many people from Orb suffered worse fates. "Do you find that funny?"

Cagalli saw his sudden hostility and decided that the people here weren't the ones she wanted to put against her side all of a sudden. "Not at all, Sai. How would you suggest going about our common dilemma that is the Usurper?"

"To start an uprising."

"You want a revolution?"

"Well, what other way do we have? Nothing will truly happen until we put our thoughts into action—"

"And you got Tolle killed for putting  _your_  thoughts into action, didn't you, Sai?" Miriallia cried; her once meek voice turning into a thunderous roar. Both of her feet were now on the floor and she faced Sai with much resentment on her features. "I warned him that it wasn't safe, that starting a commotion at the square would make no difference! I told him not to go, but you still pulled him away from me and dragged him along to the city where he—"

Sai stood up as well. "He died believing in what he thought was right!"

"So why didn't  _you_  die?!" she continued to shriek while clawing for him, but Mu was holding her light frame back. "You could have saved him; you could have let him stay with me here!"

"You think there's not a day that passes that I don't grieve his passing?"

"I think you care for no one and nothing but yourself and your intents!"

"Tolle was my friend!"

"I  _loved_ him...!"

Cagalli watched the drama unfold before her very eyes. She hadn't noticed how shallow her own breaths have gotten until Kira appeared at her side and placed his hand on her shoulder. His adoptive mother stood behind him.

"Come, Cagalli," Caridad offered a hand to her. "Let's help you get settled in."

She nodded and looked back at two of her childhood friends. The guilt of not realizing that Tolle wasn't there was beginning to sink in and she felt worse than before. Her friend had died for her— _their_  cause. Someone she knew well as a child was  _dead_.

When they arrived in front of a small room with bunk beds laid out in two rows, Cagalli blinked. How many people was she going to share a room with?

"I'm sorry if there aren't really other rooms here. This is an orphanage, so all the children share a common living space—the boys separate from the girls, of course. The young ones are too rowdy to be sharing rooms with the delicate girls." Caridad smiled at the young girl; when Cagalli looked up, she saw someone who could have been her mother. "I make small plaques with the girls' names for the beds. Just check which bed is free. We've had to accommodate more children since…"

"I understand." Cagalli walked into the room and looked at the names written in front of the beds. She spotted Miriallia's bed near the window, and decided to take the empty one across of it. When she sat on the small mattress, Caridad followed and sat on Miriallia's.

"That bed is empty because the little girls are frightened to look out," she explained gently. "There were often corpses on the street; they couldn't bear the nightmares that came with such a sight."

Cagalli sighed; she hadn't expected it to be  _that_  horrible here in Orb.

"My Queen." She looked up and saw Caridad with a soft smile on her aging features. "I'm sure you have questions—not about this orphanage, but of your family. By now, surely you must know—"

"Aunt Caridad, please, you've never called me by my formal title before."

"Because I couldn't imagine that my niece would one day rule this kingdom."

"What do you mean—?"

"You see, my dear, Via was my sister."

Cagalli's eyes widened. Her father never told her about her mother; she had learned to rely on accounts from the older servants, but none of them were there before she was born. But from one of the dreams she had, Cagalli could infer that the King had made them go away and swear into silence about the fact that there were twins and not just one blonde daughter.

"How?"

"We were from one of the less powerful noble houses of the Alliance, but we were poor and my father was desperate to marry us off into better families. His dream was to make us royalty. When Uzumi was still a young prince, he singled out Via and brought her back with him to Orb; overwhelmed with having his dream realized, our father perished the next day."

"Then what happened to you? How did you get here?" All of this was my brand new information to her and she could feel her heart racing with some sort of adrenaline.

"At the time, I was seeing my Haruma, who came from a merchant family—as wealthy as his family was, my father would have never approved of a union between the two of us, simply because he wasn't part of the nobility. When Haruma found out that my father had died, he took me to Orb where we had this large house built. He couldn't have children, you see, so we decided to turn this into an orphanage where we could make the kids have a family of their own."

"And what of my mother?"

"She had found me a few years later, when she was wed to Uzumi and had to make rounds of charity works as a Queen. After that, we kept in contact through letters. But one time she visited when she was very pregnant. She was distressed because she said the father of her child wasn't the King, but instead was some doctor…"

Caridad let out a heavy breath, remembering such memories always wore her down. "She never did come back after that day. There was unrest in the region of Ame-no-Mihashira and when Uzumi returned, he put the kingdom in a state of grievance because his queen had died upon giving birth to you. Yet you were still named The Goddess of Victory for your birth brought upon their victory."

Cagalli frowned. "But that's not the real story, is it?"

"Uzumi came to the orphanage in secret, late at night. Somehow, he knew that the children weren't his, and I had never seen a man of such honor and integrity, so devastated. He was surprised to see me open the door for him because he could recognize me as his late wife's sister. I could see his hesitation, but he decided to push through with his actions and entered the orphanage with you and Kira in his arms."

"That's when he gave Kira to you?" Cagalli asked. When Caridad nodded, Cagalli prodded further, "But why? Wouldn't Kira have made a better heir because he could have been a king? Kira had the same hair and eyes as the Queen; he wouldn't have had to grow up under scrutiny!"

Caridad shook her head. "No, Cagalli, he wanted to give both of you away. I begged him to reconsider because he needed an heir for the throne. In the end, he picked you because he didn't want to see Kira become like his real father, a man he didn't know."

"And he didn't think I would end up like whoever that man was?"

"He believed that he would one day see Via in you," Caridad answered surely, still smiling. "And you are strong, just like your mother. You will push through with your decisions and see them to the end. You're defiant and ambitious, too."

"And yet she didn't see her marriage through, did she?"

Caridad stood and moved to sit next to her niece. She took the younger girl's hands and put them in her own. "I don't expect you to understand yet since you're young, but when you've reached a certain age, you'd want a family of your own. And Uzumi couldn't give that to your mother."

"So that gives her a right to fall in love with another man?"

"The heart will want what it wants, my dear. You cannot tell who you're meant to be with. Via loved Uzumi—but sometimes other loves encompass others." Caridad looked at her niece's brown hair and her lips fell to a straight line. Cagalli looked just like Via when she was a young girl. "You'll learn that one day, when you have to choose between a man you love and what is best for the kingdom you'll be ruling."

When Cagalli was deeply in thought, Caridad added, "The only reason we were able to sustain the orphanage was because King Uzumi didn't want to abandon Kira completely."

"And he let me go to the orphanage so that I could still be with Kira somehow?"

"He didn't want you to be alone," Caridad whispered comfortingly. "Do you understand the decisions your father made, Cagalli?"

"I still don't understand what he was thinking when he didn't leave with me and Kisaka during the coup d'etat." Cagalli shook her head; she had pushed those memories into the depths of her mind, but now that she was back in Orb, they had to resurface sooner or later. "Or why he had to have my mother killed."

"Uzumi would have never brought himself to have Via killed, regardless of the treason she committed."

Cagalli stood abruptly, her heart stopping at what her aunt had just told her.

"Is my mother alive?"

* * *

"Have you found her yet?" Djibiril gritted through his teeth. Sensing his master's annoyance, his cat also hissed at the soldier who had entered the room. "If the news I hear isn't good, then I will have you hanged. What is it you wanted to tell me?"

"T-two things, Lord Djibiril," the soldier stuttered, afraid of the wrath of the white-haired man. "The total death count of those the young princess has slain last night to escape is twelve. Assessing the different scenes of deaths showed that the soldiers weren't disarmed and tried to fight off the princess, but they were still unable to restrain the princess."

"Then I taught her well." Djibiril smirked and relaxed into the chair of his quarters. Since the prince of the kingdom he detested was in the castle, he had to be careful to go undetected; else the Prince's party might discover him and ruin his plans before he could put them into action. "Have you deployed search parties for that stubborn little girl?"

"Yes, Lord Djibiril! They've all been dispatched with the instructions to search around for a blonde girl with brown eyes."

The soldier felt as though the ground had trembled beneath him, but that was only Djibiril shaking with his uncontained rage. The soldier was taken off-guard by the sudden sword pointed at his throat.

"The Princess has violet eyes!"

"But, Lord Djibiril, the profile in the royal paintings show her with brown eyes—"

"I'm the one who knows the Princess and not you! What is the color of her mother's eyes?"

"Violet or purple, Lord Djibiril—it's an easily amended mistake, my Lord! I'll have messengers correct the orders! We'll find the Princess—"

"If the next words that come out of your mouth aren't pleasing to my ears, then consider your life over—"

"General Kisaka has been sighted in Heliopolis, my Lord!" the poor soldier sputtered out; now on his knees, begging for his life. "The soldiers who spotted him lost track of the General at the residential areas, but his profile matches the description of the former bodyguard of the Princess!"

The tense muscles in Djibiril's face relaxed one by one, until he was laughing ecstatically, maniacally. The soldier dared to look up to find the white-haired man looking so pleased with the news. Slowly, he smiled in relief; he had been spared from the wrath of his Lord.

"Amend the orders and tell them to bring back the Princess before noon—if they don't return with the Princess, then all of them will be sentenced to death." Djibiril took the soldier by his hair and made him stand on his feet, spitting spitefully on the younger man's face. "And tell those soldiers who sighted Ledonir Kisaka that there is a bounty on the former General's head. Any man who brings the General back to the castle will be given a reward."

The soldier nodded and excused himself. He ran away from the room as soon as he closed the door behind him. Next time, he wasn't going to let others coerce him to be the messenger for Lord Djibiril, that was for sure.

In the room, Djibiril sat back down on his chair. His cat jumped onto the table and lay down in front of him. As Djibiril stroked the purring cat, he began to laugh again.

Ledonir Kisaka's presence in Orb meant that Cagalli Yula Athha—the real one—was also in the kingdom. And if he was sighted in Heliopolis, then the real princess shouldn't be too far away.

Everything was truly turning out in his favor, thanks to the intervention of the divine  _blue cosmos_.

* * *

"Oh, thank Haumea you're well!"

Light violet eyes were staring into the ceiling blankly. It was such a bright room, she mused to herself, brighter than her room in the tower of the castle. Slowly, she shifted her line of sight to the robed woman sitting on a chair next to her bed. There usually wasn't anyone in her room when she woke up; and if there was someone, he or she was usually dead.

Stellar began to sit up, and the woman immediately moved to assist her. After her back was resting against the wall, the woman handed her a glass of water—not a chalice, but her thirst would not allow for any refinements.

After she had chugged down all the contents of the cup, the woman set it down on the small drawer beside the bed. Trying to match the woman's smile, Stellar raised the sides of her lips awkwardly.

"Where am I?"

"You're in the monastery. A young traveler around your age came running here shouting that you needed help. Someone took you from him and brought you to the small clinic where we took the water out of your lungs."

"Water?" Stellar asked confusedly. She couldn't remember anything, anything at all about the events that could have possibly led her to be in a monastery. "Who is this young traveler?"

"Yes!" The woman's smile got bigger—which Stellar didn't think was physically possible since she was already baring all of her teeth. "Perhaps it is better for the young man to act as a catalyst for Haumea's enlightenment! He has been waiting outside your door since dawn. I'll step out and let him recount what happened to you."

The woman stood and dusted off the lower half of our robe. Her smile didn't go down once and Stellar would cringe if she was not under the hospitality of the woman. She walked out and the wooden door revealed a young man's worn face.

"How is she?" he asked hurriedly, one of his hands pulling at the hairs at the back of his head. "Is she okay?"

Stellar tilted her head; who was that man? Eventually the woman stepped to the side and revealed a rather handsome man with black hair and unusual red eyes. He looked relieved to have seen her awake—why, though, she didn't know yet.

"Stellar? Are you okay?" He sat down on the chair where the woman used to sit and reached out to hold her hand. When his hand was around hers, her eyes widened in panic and she slapped his hand away. "Stellar?"

"Who are you?"

"You don't remember me?"

"Tell me who you are!"

"I'm Shinn!" he cried, gripping the edge of the blanket on the bed. After discovering that he had lost his family, he was ready to give up all hope—but then she had appeared to him, dancing on the precipice under the moonlight. He had thought that by saving her, he had saved himself. "Stellar, I'm Shinn! I rescued you last night when you fell into the waters—"

"Why am I not in the castle?" she continued to ask questions he didn't understand. She was beginning to look very dazed and wild, like how she was after he pulled her onto shore. "Did Uncle send you to kill me? Has he no use for me anymore?"

Shinn frowned, his eyebrows furrowing as he was worrying for her more and more. But he remembered how he was able to calm her down last night and he was damn sure it was the only way to keep her in a sane state.

"Stellar." Her eyes focused on his. "I'll protect you. I promised you last night that I'll protect you. Don't you remember?"

It had seemed to work on her again since her shoulders relaxed and the glaze in her almost-pink eyes was dissipating. She closed her eyes and continued to breathe until her breaths were all evened out. Shinn continued to watch her, fascinated at the girl who couldn't be that much younger than him. Had the unrest in Orb done this to her, maddened her with what she experienced?

If he couldn't help himself, then he at least wanted to help her.

"Shinn?" Her voice had a slight tremble in it as he registered the recognition in her eyes. "Shinn, you—"

Before she finished whatever she was going to say, she jumped on him and they both fell on the floor; crying as she gripped onto the fabric of his shirt. Shinn simply smiled and wrapped his arms around the blonde's fragile frame.

"I need to get back. Shinn, my uncle, he's going to kill me if I don't come back to him! Please, Shinn, you have to protect me…"

He continued to comfort her, running one hand through her soft tresses.

"I'll protect you, Stellar," he promised again soothingly. "But before you go anywhere, you should have something to eat."

Stellar shook her head and buried her face deeper into his chest. He sighed and made a move to stand, but she pushed him back down onto the floor with her weight.

"I don't want to go anywhere," Stellar says shyly, looking up into Shinn's ruby eyes. "I want to stay with Shinn. Only Shinn wants to protect Stellar."

"I'm sure your uncle wouldn't really kill you," Shinn offered, dragging her up with him as he stood up. He dusted his pants and she blinked before she did the same with her white skirt. "He's your family and he treasures you somehow, I'm sure."

Stellar took a deep breath and lay back down on the mattress. Her violet eyes looking around the room until her gaze landed back on Shinn's ever curious eyes—curious about what, exactly, she didn't know.

"Everyone is a pawn to him. He started this war in Orb because all he wants is to see Plant fall into ruins, and he'll use everyone and everything to destroy the kingdom."

Shinn's eyes widened and his anger was beginning to take over his system, he could tell, but he forced himself to calm down for Stellar's sake. "Is your uncle the Usurper?"

"No, Seiran was just another pawn." Stellar forced a laugh from her lips. Thinking of her uncle always felt like she was taking in bitter medicine. "And now I am another pawn in his giant board, too."

His fists felt the need to be in contact with something hard. Stellar's uncle was truly an evil man to have destroyed a kingdom in order to destroy another one, to have used his own niece for his own benefit. He couldn't let Stellar go back to wherever or whoever her uncle was; he couldn't not save her. "Stellar—"

The door swung open and three soldiers rushed into the room with their swords pointed at Shinn. He recognized their outfit as those worn by the royal guards—but what did they have to do with Stellar? Behind the three men was the woman who offered to let him rest while she watched over the young girl and she looked frightened, afraid of bloodshed in a supposedly holy compound.

"Please, this is sacred ground! There is no need for violence here—"

"Silence, Woman!" one soldier barked as he pointed his sword at the terrified woman. The other two soldiers kept their swords pointed at Shinn and Stellar. "We will not leave until we have the Princess Cagalli Yula Athha."

Shinn's eyes narrowed at the guards and then he looked at Stellar, but she no longer was the scared small girl that he knew. Instead she was standing dignified, even in the simple blouse and skirt given to her by the monastery; and her eyes held an almost murderous glint in her light violet irises.

Shinn reached for her shoulder, but she flinched out of his grasp.

"I could have you all killed for daring to disturb me."

The three soldiers knelt and laid down their weapons.

"Forgive us, Your Majesty; Lord Djibiril ordered us to look for you. The Prince of Plant and his companions are due to meet you soon."

"Of course," Stellar grunted, her tone showing how displeased she was. "If any of you tell Lord Djibiril of my whereabouts, I will all have your heads. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Stellar stepped out of the room and gave one last glance at Shinn. Her eyes softened only slightly, but they became consumed with disgust after a second. When he couldn't hear their footsteps anymore, Shinn crumpled to the floor, his thoughts all scrambled.

Stellar's uncle was the true mastermind behind the coup d'etat that led to the long period of unrest. That led to the death of his family. Stellar's uncle is using Stellar to pose as a princess. Specifically, she was impersonating Cagalli. Athrun was in the castle right now with his friends, and Stellar was going to meet with them as Cagalli. But Athrun knew the real Cagalli. Stellar's uncle might do something to Athrun that could lead to Orb going into war with Plant. Stellar's uncle wanted to destroy Plant.

Something bad was going to happen, Shinn knew; not just to poor, mad Stellar, but to Athrun, too. Something was definitely going to happen to Cagalli as well—that was, if Cagalli was in Orb and Stellar's uncle knew of her presence.

Shinn had to warn Athrun. And he had to warn Cagalli somehow. Or else there was truly no one he could save.

* * *

"They're gone now," Miriallia stepped away from the window and turned to face Cagalli. "Usually they make rounds in the afternoon, so it's really odd to see a group of soldiers going around so early in the morning."

"It's almost noon, is it not?" Cagalli yawned; she hadn't realized how tired she was. "Damn, I really want to sleep some more."

Miriallia smiled gently. "You're still the same Cagalli who loves siestas, I see."

"I wouldn't be Cagalli if I didn't enjoy sleeping, Miri," she teased back at her brunette friend. Miriallia did look worn and thin, she noted sadly. Surely nothing less than Tolle's death could have had this sort of effect on her. "Miri, I hope you don't find this question out of place..."

"Are you going to ask me why I haven't been sleeping or eating?" Miri snapped angrily, glaring her blue eyes at her friend; but she looked apologetic quickly afterwards and averted her gaze from Cagalli's sympathetic eyes. "I have enough of that talk from Aunt Caridad and Reverend Malchio. But I'm fine; really, I am."

"I know how it feels to have adults tell me repetitively about what I should and shouldn't be doing." Cagalli nodded understandingly. "Especially from Kisaka, Erica and Kira."

"Does Kira count as an adult?"

"No, I'm obviously the older twin between the two of us," Cagalli harrumphed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. Her immature action led Miriallia to letting out a small laugh, which pleased Cagalli because her old friend was beginning to show signs of happiness—no matter how small they were. "But really, Miri, I was going to ask you something else."

"Oh?" Miriallia blushed, embarrassed to have assumed Cagalli was going to ask about her well-being. But naturally she didn't take it against Cagalli; what was one life Miriallia cherished to the thousands of lives Cagalli had to carry as a burden, anyway? "What was it, Cagalli?"

"I wanted to ask you why Sai is so angry now," Cagalli said quickly, her eyes briefly looking at the door to check if it was still closed. With such a personal question about another person living in the orphanage, she couldn't risk getting eavesdropped on. "When we were younger, he used to be quiet and shy—almost like Kira. I want to know what happened to him, why he is the way he is now."

Miriallia frowned; ever since Tolle died, her friendship with Sai had been strained to a point that she would crack if he dared to speak to her. It wasn't like she could really help it. In the week that followed Tolle's death, she was lost in a daze; easily agitated and had violent tendencies. They had kept her in an isolated room, probably afraid for the younger girls if she stayed in the common girls' room. Aunt Caridad spoke to her often when she was restrained, telling her she knew how it felt to lose someone you loved dearly.

"No one's the same person they were ever since Orb was taken over," Miriallia said softly. "Not Sai, not me. Especially not you, Cagalli."

"Then I'll make it my goal to turn everyone into who they used to be."

"Once you're on the throne, you'll have no time for petty ideals like that." The brunette was brutally honest, shocking the blonde with her words. "You'll be the Queen and there will be no time for you to think of how individuals are. You'll have to think of the kingdom in its entirety and forget about us."

Cagalli scrunched her eyebrows together. "Miri, you're my friend. I can't just think of abandoning you—"

"For the sake of Orb, you must!" she further insisted, her hands shaking as her instability was beginning to show again. "Tolle died thinking that he could have made a difference with leading rallies. He thought of leaving me because he knew that this kingdom, our home, was more important. He died..."

"He died waiting for you, Cagalli."

Kira stood at the door, his arms crossed across his chest as he stared at the two girls in the room. "Tolle died waiting for you to reclaim your kingdom and save your people. He died hoping that you'd save him."

Miriallia brought her hands to her ears, her head shaking in denial because  _no, no, no; Tolle is dead, Tolle is_ — And she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and another one pushing her arms back down to her side.

"It's okay to cry, Miri." Kira gathered his old friend into his arms and she continued to cry noisily, repeating Tolle's name again and again in between her ragged breaths. "Tolle wouldn't want to see you like this."

"Tolle is dead," she says finally, before collapsing onto the bed. His mother had told him that she had episodes similar to this one, and she taught him just what to do. It had happened quite often, she said, and often when she began to remember that Tolle was no longer there.

As Cagalli watched the two brown-haired teenagers grieve for their friend, she realized just how detached she had been from everything she's seen in Orb for the past few days. People were dead and people were dying—there was not much she could do about that, she had realized. Not even if she was in the highest seat of power, people would continue to die. She hadn't shed any tears for her friend or for anyone in Orb.

Miriallia was right. If she was to be Queen, she'd have to be detached from and at the same time attached to everything.

"I can't be the Queen." Cagalli shook her head and stood from her bed and paced the center of the room. "I can't be like  _her_ —"

Kira got up from Miriallia's bed and frowned at his twin's rambling. "You're not your—our mother, Cagalli. You need to let this go."

"And I will let everything go!" she cried, too, still thinking of what Miriallia said. "I will. I just need to..."

"Cagalli," Kira said her name in a warning tone. "What are you thinking?"

 _Everything_ , she wanted to tell him. As much as Cagalli wanted to cry because of all the thoughts going into her mind, she couldn't let a single tear out. She couldn't grieve for her friend, for her father, for all the nameless people who died and will die for her sake. Kira didn't understand how she felt. No one could.

"I'm not Via Hibiki," she whispered almost inaudibly, but Kira still caught onto her murmurs. "I'm not Via Hibiki."

Cagalli walked to one corner of the room where a mirror stood. She stared at her own reflection, at the off-white chemise she wore for sleeping. Her mother must have worn something similar to this. Her mother had purple eyes like Kira, not golden ones like hers. Her mother had the same features, the same sharp nose and the high cheekbones. Her mother had the long brown hair which she currently had. She looked just like her mother, save for the color of her eyes.

"I am not Via Hibiki," she said firmly, opening the drawer and searching through its contents until her skin met a cold metal blade which shouldn't have been in the children's room, but was there in the case of an intruder with bad intents.

Her eyes darted downward to the small knife in her hand. Kira saw this and his eyes widened, thinking that his sister would hurt herself then and there. He sprinted to where she stood, but by the time he pushed her down onto the floor, the damage had been done.

"You scared me!" All Kira did nowadays was scold her, she thought, pushing his weight off of her. "Cagalli, you shouldn't be putting anything like that near you!"

But she wasn't listening to anything he was saying. He could scold her later, she thought. He stood up and so did she, and when she looked back into the mirror, she saw only herself.

"I am Cagalli Yula Athha," she finally said, reaching her hand out to touch the ends of her now short hair and smiling contently.

* * *

"Please, Father, you have to hold on...!" a young woman cried as she held onto her father's old hands. They were travelling rather fast on a bumpy road, and while it was very uncomfortable to be kneeling on the floor of the carriage rather than sitting on the plush chairs, she could not bring herself to step away from her father as he lay on the cushioned seats.

"Dear, I don't think I can make it all the way to—"

"Please, you mustn't think that! You must hold on, please..." she continued to cry desperately, bringing her father's hands to her lips and pushing them to the side of her cheek. "Father, you cannot leave me as Mother left us! Please, please..."

"Lacus," he called out softly and pulled his hand away to stroke his daughter's long hair. "You, you need to find Athrun..."

"I will, Father, but who could have done this to you? What reason do they have to poison an honorable man?"

Siegel Clyne coughed out blood which fell onto the floor of the carriage. Lacus looked in horror at the stain her father left and the tears were gathering in her eyes again. She could not lose her father. Her mother had already left them when she was younger and for the longest time, the only family she had known was her father.

"Because the one who had me poisoned was a man of no honor," he spoke weakly, struggling to enunciate his words for her to hear. He continued to run his hands through his daughter's soft tresses. "King Patrick Zala must be stopped at all costs, Lacus, or else there will be nothing left of this land..."

When her father's hand fell limp onto her shoulder, all Lacus could do was scream.

_End of Chapter Eleven_


	12. Afraid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heavy Lies The Crown: Chapter Twelve  
> by tyrantsandcreampuffs
> 
> Let me face this, let me sleep, and when I wake up, let me breathe.  
> When I wake up I'm afraid somebody else might take my place.  
> When I wake up I'm afraid somebody else might end up being me.
> 
> Song of the Chapter: Afraid by The Neighbourhood

It was her fourth night away from Heliopolis and she was  _exhausted_ . But she was determined to finish her campaign. This was the only way the people of Orb— _her people_ —will know of the truth, of what's really happening in the center of their kingdom and of what is to happen if she is not able to reclaim the throne from the impostor.

"Please," she rasped through her strained vocal chords. Shouting and preaching wasn't an easy job, for sure, but if it was anyone else who spoke other than her, then the people will be in more disbelief. As is, it was difficult to accept that there was someone else in the Athha castle posing as the heir to the throne. "Please listen to me."

_For years I have been in exile. Years in which all of you have suffered under the rule of the Usurper; years in which Orb was degraded, our land desecrated. As you know, there is someone in Heliopolis who claims that she is Cagalli Yula Athha. But that is not the case—please, believe me! I am the real heir, the real daughter of King Uzumi Nara Athha. I am the real princess and the one in the castle is merely an impostor._

At that point, only a third of the initial crowd stayed. The others dismissed her claims and walked away, thinking her mad. Her heart felt heavier than before whenever she saw another person left, but Kisaka made sure she stayed firm in place especially because she could feel her knees giving in.

"Don't stop now, Cagalli," Kisaka whispered to her. "You've already made this speech in seven other towns. You can sway their hearts."

"The coronation will take place ten days from now and I do not intend for Orb to fall into the wrong hands." She took a deep breath and tried to look them all in the eye. "I will put the name of my house to shame—no, I will let my father's sacrifice be in vain if I let such a thing happen. If you stand with me in Heliopolis on that day, then you will be saving your kingdom. Please, consider my claim. I tell all of this with nothing but honesty in my heart. May Haumea bless you all and lead you to do the right thing."

"Where were you when we had soldiers raiding the villages?" a man shouted from the crowd. "Where were you when our children were brutalized for fighting back? What good is your claim now? Ever since the person you call an impostor told us we were safe, nothing has happened! We are living in peace now! Maybe she is the leader we need and not you!"

Cagalli felt like puking. In fact, there was already a bitter taste in her mouth from bile rising up her throat. She clenched her fists so tightly she felt her nails digging into the bottom of her palm—physical pain was better than the emotional pain from the man's words.

"I bet you were living luxuriously in another kingdom while they burned down our houses!"

She will not cry. She will not show weakness to those she had to convince that she was strong.

 _I lived in the forest for five years. Alone. I did not go to the Alliance or to Plant. I lived in the forest by myself because I did not know who I could trust. I did not know where to go. I've served my years in exile. What could a girl of thirteen have done? Could I have led an army and brought down the Usurper? What use would I have been?_   _I would have been a puppet; just like what the impostor is now._

"Please, listen to me," she begged again. "Believe in me."

* * *

"Your Excellency." Mu and Murrue both knelt as they were brought to the center of the throne room. They had arrived in Copernicus over an hour ago and after some convincing of the right people, they were finally granted an audience with King George Allster. "Thank you so much for letting us speak with you."

King George Allster laughed heartedly and told them to rise. "After I heard that you were from Orb and that you had news about one of the most wanted men in the Alliance, well, I couldn't quite deny you."

"We came here as messengers of Princess Cagalli Yula Athha." Murrue smiled graciously, thinking about the feisty blonde. "She asks of your assistance."

"To my knowledge, the young girl has liberated the kingdom of Orb from the Usurper, has she not?"

"The one who did so is an impostor," Mu explained. "The real Athha heir was with us when Orb was supposedly freed. We have reason to believe that it is still the man named Djibiril who is behind the fake Princess."

"Lord Djibiril has always been a troublesome man." George took a deep breath, furrowing his brows. "In the Treaty of Junius, I pledged to purge the kingdoms of the Blue Cosmos; however I was lenient with Djibiril while he was in my court because we had no evidence to use against him. It has led to the suffering of those in Orb and I cannot help but feel that I am culpable. I've tried to send troops to get the man with the Usurper, but those men do not return successful—in fact, they often return dead."

"So we've heard the stories," Mu tried to laugh awkwardly; Murrue's glare silenced him. "And the Treaty of Junius does not allow you to form an army larger than a certain number, am I right?"

George nodded. "The same goes with Zaft. At any time, we can only have an army that is around a twentieth or so of the population. And the full army cannot be engaged without a proper declaration of war—and that declaration must also undergo the war council, which was supposedly in Orb because it is the neutral kingdom, but then…"

Murrue frowned. "The circumstances are all too complex—we understand that. But surely there is a way for you to aid Orb."

"If King Zala is involved then the answer is a definite no."

"We assure you that neither Plant nor Zaft is involved in this," Mu pledged, looking to his fiancée for assurance. After she nodded, he felt more secure in his words. "The  _real_  Princess promises whatever you want in return—that is, whatever is fair for your assistance in taking down Djibiril."

"I will count on that favor in the future, then."

George's gray eyes softened at the thought of the poor girl who was only a year or so older than his own daughter. He couldn't imagine his Flay having to go against such a great evil.

"Now, to make those arrangements—"

"Daddy!"

The doors opened again and Mu and Murrue momentarily turned around to see who it was that  _screeched_. A red-haired girl with a pink dress strutted into the throne room and smiled. Mu and Murrue saw the tiara on her head and went down on their knees—again.

She giggled and said, "Please stand up. I wish to talk to you as well."

The couple looked at each other confusedly before rising up together. The girl walked on to stand next to the King and Mu and Murrue turned around again.

"Captains Mu La Flaga and Murrue Ramius, I'd like to introduce you to my daughter, Princess Flay Allster."

The girl giggled before looking at the two lowly. Murrue raised a brow—it seemed that someone knew her place all too well.

"Daddy," Flay purred with a big smile on her face. "I can think of something I want from Orb."

The King looked embarrassed to have his spoiled daughter interrupt a very important meeting, but he did not bother to stop whatever request she was going to make. He lifted a hand and signaled to her to go on and tell her plea to Mu and Murrue, who looked equally as mortified.

"I want a boy named Kira Yamato."

* * *

Her entire body felt like dead weight as she sat behind Kisaka on the back of Kusanagi, her fingers loosely hanging onto the fabric that covered her guardian's back. He looked back at the tired princess once or twice and she looked ready to not just fall asleep, but literally fall off the back of the horse they were on.

"Cagalli." His voice was mute as he cautiously watched their surroundings. There was a bounty on his head, Todaka informed him; they could not afford for him to be spotted. "We're almost back at the orphanage."

The blonde forced her heavy-lidded eyes to open. It wasn't completely dark since dawn was meant to break in an hour or so. She hadn't slept for more than eight hours in the past three days alone. How could she? All that was on her mind was the troubled look of the people she had talked to.

They had spent the past week going to the towns in the outer lands, going from door to door and telling the people of her story, of the truth, of the justice that awaits the Usurper and whoever else is behind the current impostor on the throne. There were many skeptics—and that was what hurt her most. She had only so much confidence in herself and the more people who were in disbelief, the more she wanted to give up.

But Kisaka told her that her words will stay in their minds.

Still, she had been—and  _is_ —very anxious. By now she had talked to thousands of people— _her_  people. She had preached and campaigned, begged for their silence until the day of the coronation. Some grimaced and agreed half-heartedly, some shook their heads as though she was a madwoman. Some knelt immediately and kissed her hands—similar to how Todaka reacted when he first saw her.

Everything they planned so far depended on what would happen on the day of the coronation. If the people she had told will stand with her, hopefully the others will, too.  _And then the bloodshed_. They will make their stand, fight their way into the castle where they will find the impostor and the Usurper and the man behind the siege of Orb: Lord Djibiril of the Alliance.

_The man behind Father's fate._

"It is inevitable, Princess." This time, it was Andrew who spoke. "It may not be a full-blown war, but there will be casualties. It will definitely not be a pretty sight, but we can only hope that the end justifies the means."

"Nothing should justify killing another person," she had tried to argue back. But the way the two older men looked at her made her wish she could take back her words. How stupid of her to say that in the presence of two veterans who fought in wars and in times of unrest!

Kisaka saw her unease and decided to acquiesce with her slightly. "It really is inevitable, Cagalli."

She didn't bother to speak for the rest of their short trip. They were less than a mile away but still they had to travel in the shadows as to not alert the patrolling guards. It was only in the center of Orb, Heliopolis, that Djibiril bothered to have guards on rounds. In the outlying towns they were able to travel without hiding, but here they had to be more than careful.

"We're here, Princess."

Cagalli wasn't even aware that she had fallen asleep, but when she opened her eyes again, she saw the faint light coming from the small window of the orphanage. Kisaka carried her down and she stood, stretched her limbs—her feet glad to be feeling the ground again.

"You go on ahead," Andrew told Kisaka and Cagalli. "I'll just tie the horses at the back."

The gray-haired man nodded and led the princess to the door. They knocked tentatively—the secret knock they had developed before they left in order to alert Caridad that they were back. It didn't take long before the purple-haired matriarch stepped out and took in the blonde in her arms. Cagalli returned the gesture to her biological aunt, liking the feeling of being held by her. She was the closest she could get to a motherly figure, after all—next to Manna, that was.

"Cagalli?"

Caridad let go of her niece and stepped aside, giving Cagalli a view of the orphanage's receiving area. There, on one of the chairs was the pink-haired woman who had arrived a few days after they had arrived in Orb. Lady  _Lacus Clyne_ , the fiancée of Prince  _Athrun Zala_. She went to the orphanage because she said she didn't know where else to go; Reverend Malchio was a friend of her father's, she said. She was shocked to find Kira there, but fell into his arms anyway.

And apparently she hadn't left since.

"Hello, Kira," Cagalli greeted back; her voice barely there. "Lacus."

"A good morning to you, Your Highness," Lacus stood up and curtsied—which was a funny sight considering no one in the orphanage showed that kind of respect to Cagalli. Still, she accepted it as it was part of the whole 'I-am-a-better-princess-than-the-actual-princess' front. "I am glad that you three returned safely."

The blonde eyed her brunet twin. "Why are you both still up?"

"Kira knew that you were coming back today and couldn't wait," Lacus supplied, stepping forward to pour the contents of a kettle into a cup. It was probably tea, Cagalli thought; ladies apparently inherently loved the taste of leaves. "While I…"

"Lacus was having nightmares," Kira answered truthfully, which earned him a stern glare from Lacus for a few seconds before she sighed in defeat. He took the cup from Lacus's dainty hands and offered it to Cagalli. "It's hot chocolate."

The princess did a double-take; she hadn't expected this sort of hospitability from the pink-haired lady. They hadn't talked previously because Lacus was still in shock when she arrived and would not speak to anyone—not to her escorts or to Reverend Malchio. It was only when she saw Kira that she spoke again. Cagalli and Kira were on their way out—Kira was supposed to travel with them to the other towns, but decided to stay for Lacus's sake.

Cagalli didn't miss the way her twin held the pink-haired girl's hand. Wasn't she supposed to be engaged to Athrun? And wasn't Athrun Kira's best friend?

"I was hoping to speak with you, actually," Lacus confessed, smiling innocently. "A conversation with you has been long overdue. Given the many circumstances I understand that it isn't the most convenient task, but it is completely necessary, I assure you."

She took a sip from her hot chocolate and plopped on one of the chairs before turning to Kira. "Could this not wait until after I sleep?"

"It could," Kira said. "But if it's about Athrun, I doubt that you'd want to wait."

"You see, I've been aware of your feelings for my fiancé." Lacus gracefully sat down and Kira took the seat next to her. "Or rather, of his feelings for you."

"Athrun doesn't love Cagalli."

"Oh, he does, Kira." Lacus laughed—again, so ethereally; Cagalli felt so insecure in her presence because she was engaged to the prince of Plant and she was able to make Kira fall in love with her. "We've had this discussion already. I'm sure he loves her so."

Cagalli blinked. She was in need of sleep and she was  _so_  not prepared to watch her twin and the fiancée of the guy she loved  _flirt_  with each other.

"Athrun is your fiancé," Cagalli pointed out to test the reactions from the two in front of her. Kira grimaced while Lacus put her hand over Kira's. "He loves you; he was supposed to give you that ring."

"How did you know that?" Kira asked.

 _Oh_. Cagalli froze in place.  _Right, I didn't tell him of how I met Athrun._  In fact, she hadn't remembered that Lacus also knew of what happened on that eventful day.

Her gaze slowly travelled up to Lacus's mischievous baby blue eyes.

"If he loved her, he would have confided that to her," Lacus answered for Cagalli—which was a great relief for the blonde because she couldn't think of any other alibi. "Please, Kira; don't ask such trivial questions."

"It wasn't trivial; I was genuinely curious!"

Cagalli interrupted them before they could  _flirt_  some more in front of her. "What exactly is the point of this necessary conversation? As far as I can tell, this can wait until this afternoon when I am fully rested."

"Athrun is in danger." Lacus said resolutely; her voice not as playful as it was just a minute ago. She took the tea cup on the table in front of her and took a sip from it; Cagalli also took this small break to take another sip from her hot—more like lukewarm now—chocolate. "That is, the longer he stays in Orb, the more he is in danger."

She dragged her breath until her lungs told her that she actually needed air to live.

"Athrun's father, the King, poisoned my father because he openly opposed his plan to annihilate Orb in order to get a man named—"

"Djibiril. Yes, Athrun told me of that man's plans to engage Plant in a new war."

"You need to find him before the King moves his forces forward. Or else there will be no kingdom for you to take back."

The blonde gulped down the rest of her hot chocolate. She had two great obstacles to her throne— _two_  men whose thirst for blood will harm hundreds of thousands of innocent lives.

"Why is King Zala so fixated on Djibiril? He was part of the Alliance and was loyal to the late King Azrael. And so?"

"Because  _Lord_  Djibiril is part of the cult of the Blue Cosmos," Kira explained, remembering the history lessons from Copernicus. They were the worshippers of the stars and those who look to divination for answers. They prophesized that there was something off with the kingdom of Plant, saying it will be a site of foreign sorcery—not foreign as in other-kingdom -foreign, but life-outside-of-this-planet foreign. Cults were a great taboo because of the horrors that were linked to them, but if there was one thing the Alliance was rich of, it was vast in religions and cults. "They're the most crazy and most extreme of the lot."

"I know." Cagalli racked her head, trying to remember her own history lessons. "They planned to annihilate the Kingdom of Plant and so they triggered the war, did they not?"

"Blue Cosmos has proven to be the greatest threat to Plant so far," Lacus said with much austerity. "The King is right in wanting to get rid of them, but to destroy another kingdom to get a man and his soldiers who are believers—well, it is just as extreme."

Cagalli stood and tried to shake off her drowsiness with the new information from Lacus. She was  _really_  tired but at the same time she felt mentally awake—probably a reaction from her great concern for Athrun.

"I wish I could want revenge from the King Patrick Zala because he killed my father," Lacus admitted meekly, sinking into her chair as she watched Cagalli pace around the small parlor. "But I cannot. Once I had admired him for being strong despite losing the person he loved the most. He led the kingdom well and managed to let the different cities prosper even just after the war. He was also like a second father to me."

She took a deep breath and held onto Kira's hand.

"But you, Princess Cagalli—I understand how you could want revenge, how you could want to kill a man you don't know." She showed the blonde a small smile. "It is easy, after all, to hate a stranger. But please be careful; it is the same kind of hatred which drove the King Zala to lose his stability."

Cagalli nodded and her gaze fell onto the couple's entwined hands. What she needed right now—other than sleep—was a hand to hold. And as her brother's was taken, she wanted to hold Athrun's instead; but he was in her castle, in what felt like a world away. He was in danger and she felt lonelier than ever.

* * *

"I hope you four men and lady have been enjoying yourselves in the castle," Stellar said while waiting for the server beside her to finish peeling an orange. "It must be terribly boring being cooped up in here; I know, I've been here since I was a little girl."

Athrun tightened his hold on the fork in his hand before stabbing it precisely to the center of his slice of meat. This impostor was trying her best to be convincing—she had been trying for the past week now, but all she did was get on his nerves. The real Cagalli didn't talk the way she did, so aloof and almost like she was in some trance; no, she said what was on her mind.

"Not really, Your Majesty," quipped Dearka with a small grin. "We've been enjoying ourselves just well. The gardens are fascinating and there are a lot of corridors in which playing hide and seek is enjoyable."

Yzak glared at the blond's unnecessary comment about them going into corridors they shouldn't be in, but thankfully the impostor didn't catch onto what Dearka meant.

"And the servants have been very accommodating with giving tours and explaining the different artworks," Nicol said with a big smile—though inside he felt it was wrong to smile at the fake princess. Still, he found that she was quite an agreeable person who was unnecessarily being hated on for being someone she thought she could be. "And I like spending time in the music room."

"The music room?" Stellar asked confusedly. She had never been in a room with musical instruments of any sort—then again, the only rooms she had ever been were her quarters in the tower and the throne room. When she realized that the Plant delegates were waiting for a reply, she quickly amended her slip-up. "Ah, the music room. I wasn't aware you were played an instrument."

Athrun wanted to roll his eyes, but he was in the presence of her two bodyguards—Sting and Auel, a skilled archer and a well-versed swordsman, respectively. The two were watching the group closely, just waiting for a small misstep which could give them an excuse to kill them all there and then. He had already told his friends to be careful, especially when the two were around.

"If you would like, I could play for you,  _Princess_ ," Nicol offered, still smiling. "I've composed a few pieces myself and it would be my honor to play them for you."

"That would be nice, but I believe we have a different agenda for today." Stellar raised her hand and called for one of the servants.

A man stepped forward and took a scroll from his pocket and read it out loud. "After noon, the Princess Cagalli Yula Athha shall embark on the Royal March. Her return to the castle will be followed by a feast and the initiation rites."

"I've read of this tradition before," Shiho interjected. "It is what Orb monarchs do a week before their coronation: they travel from the castle to the Holy Temple of Haumea. During that trek, the monarch will have a candle which should not go out—it shows their god's favor."

Stellar nodded; not even she knew what that was. "Yes, you're quite a learned woman, Lady Hahnenfuss. Very admirable."

"That is a great compliment coming from you, Your Majesty."

"It is, is it not?" Stellar laughed haughtily. Again, Athrun was irritated because Cagalli didn't laugh that way—hers was more  _real_. Stellar seemed to catch onto Athrun's ire and turned to face the prince. "Why, is something the matter, Prince Athrun?"

Athrun shook his head and averted his gaze towards the egg on his plate. He probably looked as though he wanted to murder the poor unborn chick, but he didn't care much for how he appeared to that  _impostor_. She seemed like a nice girl, though there was something greatly  _off_  about her. He just couldn't shake the feeling that this girl—whatever her true name was—had a bigger secret to hide.

And that secret was probably Lord Djibiril.

"He's just upset, my lady," Yzak answered cool-headedly, eyeing his friend. "He's like a bird who feels trapped in a cage far from his own."

"Then why did you not say so in the first place?" Stellar frowned. "I was not aware that I was keeping you all trapped here. Prince Athrun, you have offered your assistance and I have not accepted any yet as I see no need for it. You are free to leave the castle whenever you wish. There are beautiful sights which you must see in the other towns."

"I just wish for some air," Athrun said, finally taking a slice from the egg. "A ride out would be nice."

"That could easily be arranged. I'll have your horses brought out of the stables. You may travel freely, but please do be back by supper. After the Royal March there will be a feast."

"Thank you, Your Highness," Shiho said in behalf of the Prince. "For your hospitality so far, that is."

"Well, if that is all." Stellar stood—and the Prince and his Red Knights stood as well out of supposed respect for the so-called Princess. "I best be preparing. My future subjects are already waiting outside."

They all bowed as she walked out of the dining hall; her personal guards glaring at their group before closing the doors behind them. Once they were alone—or as alone as they can get with all the other attendants present in the room—Athrun put on a scowl which undoubtedly terrified the young maids and servers.

"This may not be the proper place but I wish to speak to my escorts in private," he said with a commanding tone. When he saw how scared the attendants were, he sighed and added politely, "Please."

They all nodded and bowed respectfully before exiting the dining hall in a single file using the passage specifically designated for the attendants.

"Except you."

Athrun had spotted the older woman a few nights ago, when they were dining with the Princess for the first time. She had stayed with the other attendants on the side, but the other younger ones looked to her before going on to serve the Princess—as though they were asking for her approval. He theorized that she knew something and at this point where they had no leads to Djibiril no matter how hard they tried to search the castle, anything was good enough.

"Me, Your Highness?" the woman looked even more alarmed than previously. She looked to her right and left before stepping forward and curtsying. "How may I be of assistance?"

He waited until there was no one else in the room until he spoke again. "You will tell me everything you know of Princess Cagalli Yula Athha. What is your name?"

The old woman smiled. "You saw her just a few minutes ago, Your Highness. She is just as you see."

"The other attendants look up to you because you're older; but that's not all there is to it, is it? You know something which the others do not."

"I assure you that it isn't the case, Prince Athrun."

"We are alone and yet you still lie."

"Your Highness, please; I am not lying to you."

"But you are withholding information," he said, barely being able to contain his frustration. They had been in Orb for a little over a week now and still they have nothing that could help them to start a potential war from brewing—and more importantly, at least to Athrun, he knew nothing that would help him find Cagalli again. "I know who the real Cagalli Yula Athha is and whoever that girl was is not her!"

What he said seemed to be enough for the older woman to place her trust in him. She walked to the door that led to the servants' passage, opened it to check that no one was eavesdropping; and promptly walked back to her side of the room.

"I was the governess of the princess when she was younger," the woman said unflinching under the Prince's anger—she had seen much worse from the Seirans and  _that man_. "My name is Manna."

Nicol let out a sigh in relief for his friend. He looked to Athrun and saw that he was less tense than a while ago. Seeing the stress Athrun was going through, Nicol prodded, "What can you tell us about the Princess, Manna?"

"I cannot tell you much," Manna answered honestly. She kept transferring her gaze from Athrun's cold green eyes to the wooden door, ready to silence herself if it did so much as creak. Even when it was made of heavy bricks, the walls were still not secure enough to hold out those who really wish to overhear conversations. "Not as long as we are in this castle."

"Later then, during the Royal March," Athrun told her. "Tell us where we can find you."

"At the Desert Rose, a local pub. Ask anyone in town and they can tell you where it is."

Athrun sat back down and took in a deep breath. This was the lead he had been searching for the past week and he was thankful to whatever god was behind proving his hunches correct. It had been so long since he last saw her that he was already forgetting the details he swore to himself he would always remember: her hair was gold and it reached her back and her eyes were somewhere between yellow and orange; her name was Cagalli and she liked red hibiscuses…

"Thank you," Nicol said to the older woman. Manna smiled back at the young man and curtsied, signaling her leave. He then turned around and walked back to Athrun's side. His friend had been put under much duress, trying to look for a man who might not have been there—and all for the sake of the one he loved.

When Athrun had come clean to them once they arrived in Orb, they were all shocked—and naturally so. They had believed that their only mission was to find the man they named Djibiril, but to discover that the person they were supposedly assisting was an  _impostor_ —well, that was something else entirely.

"We should get ready soon." Athrun stood and walked to the door. He knocked on the wooden entrance and it opened for him. "We'll ride out and watch the Royal March as civilians. Dress accordingly."

The four nodded and watched as their friend went on ahead, probably thinking too much again.

* * *

Djibiril looked out from the highest balcony of the Seiran Estate. From his vantage point, he could see the people preparing for the Royal March. Banderas lined the exterior of the different business establishments; small flags with a big sun in the middle were in the hands of the many people, waving them around proudly.

 _Such pride for their broken kingdom_ , Djibiril mused to himself. _They don't even know what's going to hit them._

Once Stellar was in the seat of power, she would recruit the men of Orb to fight, to convince them of their true nature. She'd charm them with her words and have preachers enlighten the people— _Plant is the enemy for they are impure; Haumea knows the true darkness in their hearts_. The people of Orb will suck it up because what they blindly believe in their goddess and anything said with Haumea's name was bound to be true for them.

And then the bloodshed.

Djibiril did not care for the blood of Orb, but he wanted nothing but to see the spilled red from the people of Plant—most especially that of King Patrick Zala. And his blood was also in the Prince in the castle of Orb. It had been tempting not to have the boy outright killed, but that would trigger the war. They were not prepared and he'd  _lose_.

The door that led to the balcony opened and he didn't bother to turn around to see who it was. There was only one more person who had the power to open doors in this giant house. On the railings, Djibiril's cat stood and hissed at the intruder.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your company, young Seiran?" He smirked and walked to the side of the balcony, his eyes not leaving the view of the city of Heliopolis. "It seems you haven't been in your own estate for the past few days."

Yuna glared at the older man who would not face him. "I've been out, yes."

"Will you tell me what you were doing when you were  _out_?"

"Looking."

"Looking?"

"I've been assisting in the hunt for Ledonir Kisaka."

"And what did you intend to do on the occasion that you find him?"

"Ask him where  _she_  is."

"And if he told you of  _her_  location?"

"I would take her with me across the sea," Yuna replied coolly, to which Djibiril furrowed his brows. "You had promised me before that she'd be taken in alive and that I would keep her."

Djibiril finally turned around and met Yuna's blue-gray eyes. He sized up the younger Seiran, who was lean and fit compared to his pig of a father. His gait was also different—less proud, but with just enough confidence to establish himself as the heir to the Seiran fortune.

"Did I promise you that?" Djibiril's smile was met with a frown. "I can't seem to remember."

"You did," Yuna grit out of his lined teeth. "You agreed that if she be found, I would take her away with me."

Djibiril walked towards the young man and put an arm on his shoulder. He led her away from the terrace and back into the room which Djibiril has confined himself in for the past week—his asylum as he could not show his face in the castle anymore; not when the prince of his enemy kingdom was living there.

"Plans change, young Seiran," he started, sitting down. His cat followed them into the room and made himself comfortable on his master's lap. "Did you not consider that if you did take her with you, she would not stop fighting for her freedom? She'd  _resist_  you for as so long as she lives—and what if she decides that death is a better fate than being with you? How that would break you, would it not, Yuna?"

The Seiran heir did not bother to speak; he could not deny what Djibiril was saying, after all.

"Let me have her first," Djibiril proposed—to which Yuna gave him a scowl. "I do not mean to harm her physically, but let me break her soul and emotionally incapacitate her."

"I don't want to emotionally incapacitate her," Yuna replied, still glaring at the older man. "I want her to love me."

"And love you, she will!" Djibiril laughed, bemused. "She will, she will. Trust me, young Seiran. I've yet to fail you, haven't I? Now, I will ask you again: to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit of yours?"

Yuna breathed out, frustrated. He knew how the man loved to play games and yet he could still let himself be easily riled up. Yuna would have no more of that, he decided.

"I'm going out again to watch the Royal March."

"What's the point? You've met Stellar—she's nothing significant to look at."

He clenched his fists. Yuna pitied the blonde because he knew of her emotional outbursts. He'd had a few decent conversations with the young girl and while she would occasionally become crazy and go into a killing rampage to anyone who tried to subdue her, she was still a nice girl—a nice girl who didn't deserve to be used as a pawn in Djibiril's schemes.

Still, Yuna would also sacrifice her—or anyone else, for the matter—just so he could get what—or rather, who—he wanted.

"I will find Cagalli Yula Athha."

* * *

"Kira told me you've been having nightmares."

Lacus didn't expect the Princess to talk to her outside of Kira's presence, but there Cagalli was, standing in front of her bed and speaking directly to her, asking her about herself and not about Kira.

"Your escort—Martin Da Costa, was it? He said you were there in the carriage when your father…"

"I was," Lacus replied, sitting up and looking back at the supposedly rebellious princess. She smiled, touched by the sisterly gesture the blonde was showing. "It all just plays in my head and I remember how he fell limp and just… _left_."

"My mother died when I was very little," Lacus confided, very comfortable with the blonde. Perhaps this natural ease with her was what attracted Athrun to her? Speaking to her was similar to speaking with Kira—they were both great listeners and understanding with their compassion. "I was so young; I didn't have any memories of her. So for my whole life, it was just me and my father. He was my life."

Cagalli swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. She knew all too well how that felt. Sensing that this conversation was going to take longer than she planned, she took a stool and sat on it. She bit on her lower lip, thinking of what to say. She didn't plan on talking to the pink-haired girl, not really, but she noticed that Lacus was shaking in her sleep; and so she stayed in front of the girl and watched over Lacus until she woke up, thinking it was a favor to Kira.

"It's not easy at first," she said after a minute more of thinking. "Waking up in your sweat, pretending that it's okay. I mean, it will be okay—eventually. But talking about it helps; I suppose that's what you've been doing with Kira."

"He coaxed me to speak once more. Kira has been nothing but supportive."

"Yeah, that's Kira for you." Cagalli smiled bitterly. "I wish I had him—or anyone at all—when my father died. When the shock set in, I was useless."

Lacus's smile dissolved into a frown. How selfish it was of her to act like this around the Princess when she had it rougher.

"I'm so sorry—"

"No, no! I turned out as alright as I can be, didn't I?" Cagalli laughed awkwardly. She could sense the guilt Lacus was feeling and that wasn't what Cagalli had intended to accomplish from talking to Lacus—she didn't intend to accomplish anything at all, really, but she didn't want the other girl to be crying. "I lived in the forest, I'm sure you know that much. I thought that it must be easier for me to just starve and die, but I realized that I had a reason for living. Before I had to leave my father, he told me I had to be brave because they were counting on me to bring Orb back to its old state. I lived for my people."

"And now you live for Athrun, too," Lacus said knowingly. "I can see it in your eyes every time his name comes up. To love someone is to live for them."

Cagalli grimaced; Lacus seemed to be surer of her feelings for Athrun than herself.

"If that is so, you must live for Kira, then," Cagalli found herself saying. Her eyes met with Lacus's eyes once more and she could see the blush in the pink-haired girl's high cheeks. She smiled; her brother sure had really high standards if the one he loved was a lady of Lacus's bearing—but then again, how hard was it to love someone like her?

"They are the only ones I have left—him and Athrun."

"That's why it must be me who leads the revolution," Cagalli said. "I've been preparing for the day when I fight for Orb."

"What is it one should be fighting against?" asked Lacus. "War seems to make that question very difficult."

Cagalli thought for a while. "I'm not necessarily fighting against someone. The bloodshed is inevitable—I've come to terms with that already; supposedly the end justifies the means. Instead I like to think that I'm fighting for the future of my kingdom. I just want everyone to be happy again."

"But there is no future for those who have died." Lacus did not flinch in her response. "What of those who do will take another's life? Is happiness to be found in a future that is grasped with bloodstained hands?"

The blonde merely blinked at the pink-haired girl's words. Was she for real? Was she actually  _preaching_  to her?

"Lacus—"

"I didn't wish to sound ignorant with my comment, Your Highness," Lacus said, still blushing. The poor girl was embarrassed to have said that, but she said similar comments to Athrun whenever he asked for her advice and so saying those things had come out naturally. "It's just that Kira will undoubtedly fight for you and…"

Cagalli smiled sincerely. Lacus loved her brother and if there was one thing the two of them had in common, it was their desire to protect the brunet.

"And here I was thinking I could comfort you." Cagalli stood and set the stool back to the side of one bed. She walked around, stretching her legs while trying to keep poised—if only to impress the lady. "You're an admirable woman, Lady Clyne. You're stronger than most people—than me—and you have beliefs which sentiments I wish everyone could share..."

Lacus sensed the continuation of her sentence because of the sudden pause by the Princess. "However?"

"However," Cagalli continued, a more austere look forming on her features. "I can no longer afford to be as idealistic as before."

Before Lacus could answer back, a knock on the door resounded in the almost girls' room. The slab of wood creaked and swung open; Kira's face peeked between the door and its frame. His violet eyes widened upon seeing his sister, surprised to see her awake when she should be resting more; but then they softened when his eyes landed on Lacus's face.

Cagalli stepped back in distaste. "You guys are gross."

"I don't even want to imagine how you are with  _my best friend_." Kira shuddered. Cagalli glared at him and he stopped laughing, closing the door behind him. "Mu arrived just now. He wants to speak with you."

"Of course." Cagalli nodded and went back to her bed. The trunk beside it contained her clothes and she took out a coat and put it over her peignoir, making her look more modest than she was in her sleepwear. "Murrue is with him, too?"

"Erica is also there," Kira informed her, knowing that his twin liked the older brunette. "Mother made you some porridge to eat."

"Mmhm," she hummed back lazily, walking towards the door. When she stood beside Kira near the doorframe, she patted him on his shoulder. "She's wonderful for you."

Kira smiled back at his sister fondly. "As I'm sure Athrun is wonderful for you, too."

Once she closed the door behind her, leaving the two lovebirds with some privacy, she frowned. The words of her Aunt Caridad would not leave her thoughts.

" _Sometimes other loves encompass others. You'll learn that one day, when you have to choose between a man you love and what is best for the kingdom you'll be ruling._ "

* * *

Athrun looked down from the small balcony. They paid a pretty sum for the little room, especially since it was the day of the Royal March and everyone wanted to have a good look at the Princess. The Desert Rose was a small building on one of the main streets of Heliopolis, one of the streets that the Princess will pass through on her way to the temple. On its first floor was a pub where men would get drunk off their asses while the upper floors were rooms usually rented for passionate nights spent by two who had met downstairs.

He could see the people on both ends of the rather wide street. He found it strange—in Plant the people had to be cleared to the sides by Zaft soldiers; but here the people obediently followed, not out of fear but for their respect for tradition and for their monarchy. The people  _loved_  the Princess and how Athrun wished he could inform them all of the lie they were immersed in.

"Thank you for meeting with us," Nicol spoke for the rest of them. It seemed that the older woman favored him most because of how much of a gentleman he was. "We really do appreciate it."

"I will tell you of what I know," Manna spoke. Athrun turned away from the balcony and moved the curtains toward the center so that they could not be seen by those outside. The woman sat on a chair in the center of the room while Nicol and Shiho sat on the bed as they talked to her. Yzak and Dearka were outside the door, watching for people who might interrupt or eavesdrop on their confidential conversation. "But you will tell me what I want to know, too."

"Usually these things end in some sort of pay-off," Athrun commented, taking out another chair and sitting on it. "Riches, protection, some other form of service. We can offer you intelligence and any of those, too."

"I'm not interested in those."

"May I inquire as to why?"

"For almost two decades I've only one concern: the Princess."

"You were her caretaker?"

"And governess. She told me once that I was the closest thing she had to a mother." Manna smiled thoughtfully. "And she was the closest thing I had to a daughter."

Athrun closed his eyes, imagining how lonely Cagalli must have been as a child. And how lonely she must have been in the forest, too.

"All I want to know is why you want to know what I know and how you knew that the girl in the castle isn't the real princess."

He looked to Shiho and once she caught his glance, she nodded and took out a report she wrote down on their second night in Orb. It was the story Athrun had confided in them; the story of how he met Cagalli when he was younger, how he met her again and how she brought him to Plant, how he found her again and brought her back with him. Shiho handed the neatly-written report to the woman and she took it. It took her a few minutes to read through everything—and going through some parts again to check the facts. She smiled when she saw Kira's name in the report, although he seemed like a bad guy because of rescuing his sister.

"So you all know Kira is Cagalli's brother," Manna said softly, remembering the brown-haired boy.

After she handed the report back to the younger brunette, Shiho gave her a tight smile. "That's all we know, Manna."

"But I have a question." She looked directly into Athrun's green eyes. "Do you love her?"

"It doesn't matter how I feel about her." The Prince tried to put on a nonchalant look. While his heart screamed 'yes!', he could not easily disclose his feelings to others. Not when he hadn't told Cagalli himself. "The facts are that there is a pretty convincing impostor who is most likely a puppet ruler. If she calls for a war, then no one from the three kingdoms will emerge unscathed."

Manna frowned. She hadn't expected that something greater laid beneath the deceit of those in the castle.

"There is this man, Lord Djibiril; is he the one you are looking for?"

The three friends locked eyes and Athrun fiercely nodded.

"Do you know where he is?"

"He was in the castle before. He was an adviser of sorts to Unato Seiran. They came to the castle together on the night of the siege; once word that the King was dead came out, the soldiers of Orb stopped fighting and surrendered. And so began the reign of the Usurper. For the next five years, they controlled the kingdom and much misery came upon the land. But one day, Unato disappeared. Some speculated that he died of a sudden heart attack, the fat man that he was. When that happened, he introduced the Princess to the crowd of commoners and declared that Orb was once again free. I was not present during that declaration, but once I heard of it, I could not believe it—and for good reason, I suppose. The girl was definitely not the real Cagalli Yula Athha."

"And what of Djibiril then?"

"He left the castle the night before you came to Orb. To where, I do not know." Manna looked very apologetic, thinking she wasn't as helpful as they wanted her to be. "But he is definitely in Orb. He is a wanted man in the Alliance after King Allster discovered of his relation to the siege of Orb. Every now and then, there are Omni Forces knocking on the outer gates of the Kingdom—and when that happens, the heads of those soldiers were sent back to the Alliance."

Athrun clenched his fists and looked away. "His army must be strong, then."

"Djibiril only has about a thousand men with him, but they are all seasoned warriors who were part of the first war. The others, however, follow him out of fear."

"If a war breaks out, those other soldiers will have no choice but to fight on Orb's side, regardless of where Djibiril is," Nicol said. "If only to defend the civilians."

"Please." Athrun turned to Manna again. "In the future, if you learn of Djibiril's whereabouts, you must tell us."

Manna nodded. "The Princess would definitely not want a war. I will assist you in whatever way I can. And I think there is also something which you want to know…"

"What is it?"

"There have been whispers that the real Princess is in Orb, rumors that come from those who live in the outer cities but came to Heliopolis for the week of the coronation. Word of her presence has spread like wildfire and it has instilled much doubt in many a people."

Athrun stood up, agitated once more. "You mean to say she's out there?"

"I do not know for sure, but it is a possibility. She might be in the crowd, wishing to see the  _Princess_  as much as everyone else."

He paced the room as the three others watched him.

Manna turned to Nicol. "Is he always like this?"

Nicol beamed back. "Only when he really cares."

The blue-haired prince walked to the door and opened it. Outside, Dearka and Yzak looked very bored, but after they saw the very serious look on their friend's face, they stepped in and raised their brow at the scene. Athrun continued to pace around while Nicol and Shiho sat on the bed; Manna looked very amused at the young people.

"We're all going down and look for her," he spoke after a few minutes. "We will find Cagalli Yula Athha."

* * *

Shinn stood in the crowd, anticipating the arrival of the princess with her candle. There were a lot of people to witness the prelude to the coronation—most of them young and eager to watch history take place in front of their eyes, ready to pass on to their future children their own stories of the ruling monarch.

But Shinn knew better. Whoever he was going to see holding the candle wouldn't be the real heir. He could easily tell this to everyone there, shout and say "She's an impostor!" or something equally as shocking to their ears.

But Shinn knew better.

He treaded through the people, all of them wanting to be as close to the princess as possible. He looked ahead and saw that there were children—small and lithe—who navigated through the crowds better and faster than him. Shinn smiled when he saw a young girl blink her large brown eyes at him after she spotted him watching her. The young girl continued to look at him, squinting before running away, expertly avoiding the legs of the adults around her.

 _Weird_ , Shinn thought, and then shook his head.  _Focus, Shinn; you need to find Athrun._

"Shinn."

He turned around, expecting to see someone from Orb who knew him and his family from before, but instead he met steely blue eyes. This man was one of Athrun's friends cum escorts and he was also from one of the noble families.

"Um, yes," he said awkwardly, not knowing how to react. "I'm sorry; your name's escaped me."

"Yzak Joule," the other man replied, looking angry—but not  _that_  angry. "It is nice to see you again, Shinn. Now if you excuse me—"

"No, wait!" Shinn called out. Yzak stopped and turned around, glaring. "I have important news for Athrun."

Yzak squinted his blue eyes again. He pulled the black-haired boy to the back of the crowd and when they were in a significantly less congested and less noisy area, Shinn spoke again.

"It's about the Princess," Shinn huffed, not knowing where or how to start. "Okay. When I arrived in Orb, I rescued this girl from drowning. I brought her to the monastery where they treated her overnight. Her name was Stellar and she was so scared because she said her uncle—a gerbil or something—would kill her."

"Djibiril?"

Shinn's eyes widened as he recognized the name. "Yes, that's it! She kept asking me to protect her from her uncle and then when these royal guards arrived, she suddenly became cold to me and acted different, like she really believed she was the Princess."

"What else did she say before she was taken away?"

"She said that she was a pawn and that so was Seiran; and everyone else, too. That he began all of this chaos to see Plant in ruins."

Yzak clicked his tongue. Everything really was complicated and now that they have concrete evidence that Djibiril was really in Orb, then he had to do something about it.

"Take this." He reached into one of the pockets of his coat and retrieved a crest—the Joule family crest—and handed it over to Shinn. "If you don't want a war to happen, I suggest you take this back to Plant and go to Ezalia Joule. With that crest, they will let you have an audience with her. But only talk to my mother and no one else—not even the King, do you understand?"

Shinn nodded, looking at the valuable crest.

"You will tell her that Djibiril is in Orb and that she is to send a sizeable army without informing King Zala."

"But that's treason!"

"Well what do you want to do, Shinn?" Yzak shouted, but toned himself down because they were still in public. What he needed was his fiancée to calm him down, but Shiho was two blocks away, looking out for a blonde-haired girl. "You can make a difference. You can prevent a war from breaking out. You have the ability. Why not put it to use?"

The black-haired boy closed his eyes, inhaling as he did so. He may have lost his family but there were still people in Plant he wanted to protect.  _Luna and Meyrin…_

"I'll go," he answered; to which he received a terse nod in response. "Thank you."

"Take care," Yzak muttered—wincing at how  _nice_  he sounded. How Nicol did it all the time, he could only wonder.

* * *

"Mu said what?"

"Princess Flay Allster is asking for Kira." Cagalli giggled as she quoted the older blond. "Something about being his fiancée…"

"Oh, right." Kira scratched the back of his head. "O Haumea, what am I going to do?"

"Are you really engaged to her?" Cagalli prodded, amused at how her twin was trying to maintain his composure. "I've never met the girl but with the way Murrue spoke of her, she didn't seem to have left a good impression."

Kira grunted. "It was nothing serious between us."

"The Princess was your  _girlfriend_?" Cagalli screeched. "Why don't I know this?"

"And this princess is my twin sister," Kira mumbled inaudibly. "Athrun could have told you."

"Does Pinky know about her?"

"Pinky?" Kira looked at Cagalli oddly and she shrugged. He sighed. "Her name's Lacus, Cagalli."

Cagalli frowned and crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "I know what her name is! It's just more convenient for me to call her Pinky because of her hair."

The brunet sighed for the nth time—it seemed to happen often when he was with his twin. "As far as I know, Lacus has no clue; but Athrun may have told her before and she just chooses to not bring it up."

The blonde grinned at her twin. "Okay."

"Okay? That's all you have to say?"

"Well, were you expecting me to blackmail you?"

"Honestly? Yes."

"Gee, give me a little more credit. I can be nice."

"I'll have to ask Athrun one day to confirm that for me," Kira joked, looking at his Cagalli. "When I think about it, you two can't really be together…"

"Because we're the sole heirs to our respective thrones." Cagalli had run it through her head over and over and it just made her upset whenever she did; and so she hadn't thought of it for a while—that was, until Kira had to bring it up again. "I don't know why Lacus and you are so convinced that I'm in love with the guy." Cagalli shook her head, clearing her mind of her thoughts of Athrun. "We're here to see whoever the impostor is, aren't we? Come on; we won't see anyone from here."

She took Kira's wrist and dragged him until they reached the middle of the crowd. Cagalli tiptoed and tried to see over the shoulders of the people in front of her, but she was still too short. Kira saw this and looked very entertained.

"If we're twins, then how come you're taller than me?"

"Probably the same reason you have yellow hair." Kira shrugged. This time it was him who took her wrist and pulled her to the front. They squeezed their way through the crowd, bumping into another person every now and then.

"She's here!" one woman in front squealed. "The Princess is here!"

"Hurry up, Kira!" Cagalli growled impatiently after hearing that  _she_  was near. "I want to see her—sorry!" Cagalli said roughly as she accidentally hit another person's shoulder. The woman turned around, her straight brown hair swaying as she did. She met Cagalli's amber eyes before averting her gaze to the violet ones beside her.

"Kira?" The woman seemed to be familiar with him as there was a fondness to how she said his name. And then she faced Cagalli. "You're the princess."

"How does she know?" Cagalli paled. She turned to her brother. "Kira, who is she?"

The brunet didn't seem to be delighted to see her as he wasn't smiling.

"Shiho," he said her name and then he shook his head. "This means Athrun is also here."

"He can't know I'm here." Cagalli escaped from Kira's wrist, her panic setting in. Athrun would ruin her plans—he'd be in danger if he knew she was here. "Kira, he can't—"

"But he already knows you're here," Shiho replied in a matter-of-fact tone. "He wants to see you again. He wants to help, really."

"What I will do is put him in danger!" she answered back. She looked through the crowd and found him—his hair was hard to miss in broad daylight, after all; while she was hiding under a hood, which made for a good enough disguise. "Let's go."

She grabbed Kira's wrist and practically ran, bumping into more people than before.

"There she is! Princess Cagalli!"

Cagalli turned and caught a glimpse of the  _impostor_. She was in a dress of blue and white, but with a gold cape over her back— _gold_ , the royal colors of her kingdom. In her hands was a candle in a golden chalice. The people waved at her frantically while she smiled back graciously like the Princess she was trying to be.

More people pushed themselves to the front and in the maelstrom of limbs and torsos, Cagalli lost her grip on her brother's hand and had her hood accidentally pulled down to her neck.

"Kira!" she cried as she got propelled to the back. Not able to differentiate her brother's hair from all the rest in the crowd, she sighed in frustration. Well, she got what she came to the center of the city for anyway. She saw  _Princess Cagalli Yula Athha_.

She'd come back to the orphanage instead—at least there she'd be safe again. She lifted her hood and had it cover her head once more. Cagalli thought of staying to look for Kira but then she remembered that Athrun was there, albeit him being on the other side of the road. He wouldn't be safe if he knew where she was.

Cagalli turned to the alleyway and walked in the shadows. She was only one corner away from the street that led to the orphanage when she was shoved onto the side of a house. She struggled and began to scream but she felt a cold dagger at the base of her neck and no sound came out of her throat afterwards.

"Hello, Cagalli." The man pulled back his own hood and Cagalli looked into eyes she hadn't seen in forever. "It's such a pleasure to see you again."

_End of Chapter Twelve_

 


	13. Paradise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heavy Lies The Crown: Chapter Thirteen  
> by tyrantsandcreampuffs
> 
> Once upon a year gone by, she saw herself give in.  
> Every time she closed her eyes she saw what could have been.
> 
> Song of the Chapter: Paradise by Vanessa Carlton

"She's awake! Oh, I must inform my lord at once—"

After she heard the sound of someone scurrying and a door slamming, Cagalli opened her eyes and was quickly blinded by the white light which swarmed her vision. Instinctively, she brought her hands up to shield her face from the rays of the sun. A few moments later, her eyes adjusted accordingly to the brightness of the room she was in, and she was able to take in the sight of the room. The walls weren't made of wood and the ceiling didn't have stars drawn onto the surface; instead, the walls were painted Prussian blue and on them hung paintings of sceneries she couldn't recognize.

She wasn't in the orphanage.

Her mind went into panic mode and she pushed herself off the bed she was on and stood on the— _carpeted floor_? This was definitely not the orphanage. Her eyes wandered around the room and saw that it was occupied by no one else but her; her heart was beating too fast in its cage and she put her hand over her chest to try to calm herself—but to no avail; and upon doing so, she noticed the fabric which wrapped around her wrist—connected to the rest of her arm and to her entire body. She was in a proper dress of itchy velvet and she could only imagine a few places in Orb which had a room as impressive as the one she was in and a ready supply of dresses which fit her.

She was either back in her castle or in one of the estates of the noble houses.

All at once, her recollections of what happened to her earlier came rushing back in her mind and she stumbled to the floor—as comfortable as the carpet was, she couldn't stay here. No, not when…

The door swung open and her head snapped up. Cagalli's amber eyes formed a slit and she growled, almost sounding like a feral animal in doing so.

"Well, well." His voice still sounded as arrogant as it did yesterday. "I'm glad you're awake now,  _Princess_."

"Yuna!" she screamed at him, very angry that he knocked her out forcefully and brought her to—to either his estate or to her castle. If she was in the latter, she could not feel the sense of relief from coming home because this was definitely  _not_  in their plans. They were to have another siege during the coronation, they were to attack and invade and bring down Djibiril. They already had the support of the King of the Alliance, for Haumea's sake! "You will release me this instant!"

"If you try to escape, there will be guards outside who will have no problem apprehending you," he said, grinning. "If I were you, I'd just agree to whatever I tell you to do."

"I know that!" Cagalli glared at him, trying to match her ire with his conceitedness. Haumea, how she  _hated_  him. "Tell me where we are."

Yuna's lopsided grin turned into a straight line and he raised his eyebrow as he looked at her quizzically,  _amused_. "You really shouldn't be demanding such things when you are at  _my_  mercy."

"And Haumea sees how much I  _cower_  before you!"

The purple-haired head of the Seiran house could not handle her humiliating him further and dragged her up to her feet. He could tell how surprised she was by her widened eyes— _so beautiful_ , he mused to himself, but he wouldn't say that at the moment because of his bruised ego. Instead he lifted his right hand, ready to strike at her face. Cagalli saw this and closed her eyes, bracing herself for the impact which  _shouldn't hurt_  because  _it's Yuna, for Haumea's sake!_

But his hand never met her cheek. Hesitantly, she re-opened her eyes and instead saw him smiling at her  _gently_ —that was, as gentle as his face could manage anyway. She started feeling more uneasy as she felt something off in the pit of her stomach.

"You are such a troublesome little girl," he spat out menacingly, yet he was still smiling. "But I should tell you now that you have bigger concerns."

"Well, if there's a person out there claiming to be me, then I have greater concerns indeed!"

"She isn't so bad, you know," Yuna defended with a frown. "More agreeable than you, at least."

Cagalli huffed and turned around, sitting down on top of the soft mattress. She persisted on glaring at the purple-haired man, the abomination that was his long mane which was better fit on a horse standing out too much that a new sense of annoyance spurred from just the sight of it.

Yuna sighed. If she wasn't going to be cooperative, then it would harder for both of them— _why could she not understand that?_

"Stand up or I'll have to drag you out of here all shackled up."

"You wouldn't dare—"

"Heed my warning, Cagalli; you do  _not_  want me to become your enemy."

"Perhaps it is you, Yuna, who should be more wary! If I were to be your enemy—"

Finally, Cagalli felt the sting in her cheek as Yuna's hand hit her. She gaped at him, her eyes wide as her own hand hovered over the area which was now beginning to turn into a rouge shade.

"If you were to be my enemy? You have  _nothing_  to your name, Cagalli. You have no leverage over me or anyone else. As such, your threats are empty to me.  _You are no queen_."

She turned her head away, unable to bear the shame of having someone like  _him_ —someone she's loathed ever since she was little—put her down in the manner he just did. She was a queen, was she not? She was an Athha—perhaps not biologically—but still, she was the rightful heir to the throne!

"Forgive me,  _Your Highness_ ," Yuna spat out, scowling. "But we  _are_  on a schedule, and I meant what I said earlier. You have the option to keep your dignity, stand up and walk out here with me or be dragged in chains. You have five seconds to decide. Five, four…"

Cagalli got onto her feet, almost stumbling, but regaining her balance quickly enough. She wasn't aware that she was breathing heavily until she saw Yuna's eyes trail down to her chest, where the bodice of her dress wasn't loose fitting like the blouses she used to wear—to which she instinctively turned away, feeling humiliated.

"Come now, Cagalli." Yuna said with a sneer, taking her hand and placing it on his arm. He held it in place, not letting her refuse him escorting her, but she didn't flinch either way. After walking out of the room, the muscles in his face relaxed. "We mustn't keep  _him_  waiting."

* * *

Lacus wrapped her arms over Kira's shoulders and cradled his face as he let out his anguish over losing his sister. She could never been bold enough to do so in Plant, not when she was engaged to the Prince, but due to their current predicament, she could not just stand about and not do anything for the one she loved. Kira was hurting and blaming himself; Lacus would not let him carry the burden of guilt by himself.

"She's somewhere out there, Kira." She did not know how much merit her words had, but speaking to him—even with no response—was better than letting his thoughts add to his culpability. "Please, do not blame yourself—"

"She was my responsibility!" he finally snapped, his voice booming. Kira looked regretful immediately afterwards, thinking that he had frightened Lacus, but she remained poised, maintaining her composure when the brunet could not. He crumpled once more, shaking as he put his head in his hands. "I promised to watch over her, Lacus. We can't afford to lose her—especially not  _now_."

"There is no use in crying over spilled milk, is there, Kira?"

"I should be out there searching for her right now—"

"Your mother will not let you. She knows how you are—we all do. You won't stop until you find Cagalli; you not being well-rested will not help anyone."

"I've already lost her before and they stopped me from searching for her—"

"If I remember correctly, it was only because Miss Erica assured her safety. And in the end, she was with Athrun—was she not safe with him?"

"Exactly! Her well-being isn't certain right now because we don't know where she is!" Kira groaned, slumping in his chair. "It's my entire fault."

Lacus kept her arms wrapped over his shoulders, smiling encouragingly.

"You should listen to your girlfriend, kid," Mu quipped from the doorway of the receiving room. The two teens looked up and acknowledged the older man's arrival—to which he responded with a cheeky grin of his own. "Forgive him, my lady, for he's always been such a crybaby."

Lacus chuckled lightly. "Indeed, he has."

Kira shook his head; despite their efforts to lighten the mood, his sober expression remained. Reluctantly, he replaced Lacus's hands on her lap and he stood up and began pacing the small room. Lacus frowned at the unnecessary gesture, but in the end stayed mum—after all, she understood him.

"Did you find anything?"

"We've been asking around and had no leads from the first thirty households we asked, but finally this lady from the corner said that she saw two people fighting beside her house. She said they were cloaked so she couldn't confirm if it was really her."

"And then—?"

"One person bludgeoned the other and knocked them out."

"What?" Kira panicked. If that was truly Cagalli, then the lady's account meant that she had gotten  _hurt_. "What happened next?"

Mu looked away, unable to look at the pained face of the Princess's desperate brother. "The person was put into a carriage and taken away by soldiers. The woman said she feared for her own family's life, so she hadn't stepped in to help."

Kira clenched his fists and was ready to punch the wall next to him when Lacus stood and put herself between Kira and the wall. His eyebrows were furrowed, the thin lines on his forehead showed just how stressed he had become since he came home after The Royal March without his sister. The areas around his eyes were red and puffy, too.

Lacus smiled and outstretched her arms. For a second, Kira looked at her confusedly—but soon afterwards he accepted her gesture and pulled her into a hug. He burrowed his face in the crook of her slender neck, calming himself by taking a whiff of her lavender scent.

"Yes, well— _anyway_ ," Mu continued, snorting at the display of affection between the two lovebirds. Watching them made him miss his own fiancée, who stayed at Copernicus to be more helpful in their collaboration with King George Allster. "We looked into the houses on the same street, but all of them said they were out to watch The Royal March at that time. That's the only suspicious activity that occurred recently. If we assume the victim to be Cagalli; well, we don't know."

"Is that all?"

"There's also something else, but I didn't think too much of it a while ago."

"Please, Sir La Flagga," Lacus pleaded. "Any and all information is vital if we hope to find Her Highness."

Mu scratched the back of his head. He liked the young pink-haired noble because of her maturity. She was a kindness, a relief during the turbulent times they were currently facing. Indeed, she deserved the title of  _Princess of Peace_.

"Some of the people we asked said that we were not the only ones inquiring about a girl with golden hair," Mu informed, his hand moving down to his nape. "This might mean that we're not the only ones who know she's here."

Kira's fists clenched once more—and again, Lacus placed her hands over his in an effort to pacify him.

"We really aren't the only ones, you see," she spoke for him. "Athrun is also looking for Her Highness."

"Athrun?" Mu asked.

Lacus nodded. "Kira bumped into one of his escorts during the March."

"And he was what led them to be separated?"

" _She_ , Sir La Flagga; the lady-knight's name is Shiho of the noble house of Hahnenfuss of Plant. Apparently she and the other escorts were dispatched to search for Her Highness during the parade."

"It seems you had forgotten to brief us about that, Kira." Mu frowned, looking judgmentally at the brunet. He sighed—these kids were so  _troublesome_. "In any case, I was not aware that there was a relationship between our Cagalli and the heir to Plant."

"Because there isn't—" Kira cut in to say, but was hushed by Lacus's stern look. "I wish there wasn't."

Lacus shook her head—they seemed to disapprove of so many things lately. "Now that we know Athrun is searching for her, then that means your sister is not in his care either. Kira's feelings on the matter aside, if there is someone we can count on to help us search for Her Highness, it is Athrun."

"Great," Mu said, genuinely relieved. "How do we contact him?"

"Here, Your Highness."

Kira, Lacus, and Mu turned around to find Caridad Yamato walking in the receiving room with Athrun Zala himself.

* * *

Yuna glared at the insufferable girl—no,  _woman_  in front of him. A girl would have her hair tied in two braids and puffs in her sleeves; both of which, thankfully, Cagalli didn't have—anymore, at least. Instead, she looked like a wildling creature with feral eyes and hands curled as if ready to claw at him.

 _Still_ , he thought smugly,  _she is mine._

"You will eat, Cagalli," he said warningly. "You're being given the privilege; you should know better than to waste the food in front of you."

"Just because I was born with  _privileges_  to my nameit does not mean that I will indulge in your frivolities," she spat back, holding back a scowl. "What you call food is impractical! A feast isn't meant to be shared between two—this!" She gestured to the trays in front of her. "All of these could easily feed fifty families for a week!"

Yuna merely raised a brow at her while he went on with chewing on a delightful piece of turkey leg.  _Really_ , he thought as she quivered with her anger,  _she isn't helping herself_. Finally, he swallowed his food and washed it down with red wine.

"If you will not indulge in the banquet I had prepared for you, then at least humor me, will you?" Yuna began to slice another piece of meat for himself. "Once upon a time, a boy fell in love with a girl."

Cagalli scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest but did nothing else to stop him from speaking.

"Well, one day, this girl was in danger. Naturally, being in love with her, the boy tried to save the girl. Do you see where I'm getting to?"

"Um, no?" Cagalli was only disappointed. Had she wasted her time listening to him tell a story that was only half-baked, on his monologue which was hardly coherent? "Yuna—"

"There's no rational reason to love this girl," Yuna continued by cutting her. "Because she is nothing special and hardly a lady—but still, the boy loved her. Have you ever been in love, Princess? Have you ever known the feeling to consume your thoughts and days?"

He did not even give her the chance to reply.

"Because that is how it has been for me," he finished, putting down his cutlery and looking up at her. "Five years ago, Princess Cagalli Yula of the royal house of Athha, I saved you from your demise. Had it not been for me, you'd be  _dead_  right now."

Cagalli eyed him warily, not expecting him to say her full title. And what was with the preposterous notion that he had  _saved_  her?

"I suppose a thank you is in order, then," she said slowly, changing her stance from proud to defensive—making her slightly more vulnerable. The idea that Yuna saved her because he was  _in love_  with her was preposterous! "For whatever it's worth, I  _am_  grateful, Yuna."

He laughed boisterously, making not only her, but the other servants around them as well, look up from whatever they were doing and stare at him incredulously—at least, the servants tried to hide their appalled looks by turning away.

"You don't need to thank me, Cagalli," he continued, still laughing maniacally. "For once you are married to me, the debt will be paid."

She stood on her feet, pushing the table away from her with enough force to let the old heavy wood rattle on its legs.  _He can't possibly be serious_ , she thought as he watched the vile purple-haired  _boy_  smirk at her,  _can he?_

"Married?" she asked, amber eyes wide in disbelief. "Yuna! I  _never_  agreed and will  _never_  agree!"

"Do you find the prospect so terrifying?" he asked back, smiling cunningly. Yuna took the small piece of cloth laid beside his utensils and used it to dab at the corners of his mouth. "Quite frankly, it isn't your place to agree or disagree."

"No, I should think that I have every right to refuse such a proposal!"

"It wasn't a proposal, Cagalli."

"Then what in Haumea's good name are you saying?" she cried, frustrated—and  _scared_. "Yuna…"

The purple-haired man finally stood and walked to her direction. Cagalli hadn't noticed that she was taking steps back until he had finally cornered her against the cold brick wall of his estate.

"I suppose you don't believe me," Yuna said with a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Let me continue my story, then. Once upon a time, my dear Cagalli, I tipped off your father about an upcoming revolt. I warned him that there was nothing he could do about it and that there was no one in this castle or kingdom he could save."

"But I'm here. He sacrificed himself to save me."

"Wrong again, Cagalli," Yuna tsked at her. "You should really stop thinking so highly of yourself; the world doesn't revolve around  _you_  just because you're a princess."

"My father died for me!" She could not help the desperation in her voice. Why was she not moving? Why was she not beating the bastard in front of her into a bloody pulp? In her mind were only the words of Kisaka before he brought her away from Orb. "It was his sacrifice…"

"He asked a favor of me, asked me to stall my father's forces—without saying, he asked for time to send  _you_  off."

"I already thanked you—"

"And in return, I asked for your hand in marriage." Yuna nodded to one of the servants and the young helper brought out a piece of parchment. One could tell that it wasn't as old as the scrolls found in the Haumea temple or in the pages of the books in the libraries, but it had definitely collected its fair share of dust. He began to read from the paper, "By royal decree, I, King Uzumi Nara of the royal house of Athha, hereby give away the hand of my daughter, Princess Cagalli Yula of the royal house of Athha, to the heir of the noble house of Seiran, Yuna Roma—"

"No!" she cried, pushing him away roughly. The action had caught him by surprise as he stumbled on his footing before regaining his principled composure—which was more than she could say for herself. Was this the price of her freedom, of her life? Was her happiness the price her father was willing to pay all those years ago? "You…no, you forged that, Yuna! I'm sure of it! This is a lie, a trick! My father…he couldn't have possibly written that!"

He took a step forward and handed her the parchment.

"Surely you of all people know his penmanship and personal seal better than anyone else."

She accepted it with shaking hands—and finally her eyes landed on his signature. Below it was the stamp he used only for personal documents, the one with the sun in the hands of a lion. It was right there in front of her and yet she wouldn't dare believe that her father practically sold her off.

Still, she averred, "I will not marry you, Yuna!"

And yet he did not falter. "While I do enjoy watching you crumble like this, I must insist that we stick to our scheduled itinerary for today."

"But—"

"Hush, Cagalli," he leered at her and began to drag her out by her shoulders. She could not find it in herself to dig her heels to the floor and resist his pull. "You're going to meet  _him_."

"Who?"

Yuna grinned. "The man who agreed to marry you off to me."

* * *

All was silent in the modest home for the orphans of Orb. Caridad was surprised to find her son's dearest friend, Athrun Zala, the Prince of Plant himself, on the other side of the door when she came down to open it. He had greeted her kindly, showing off the courtesy which was ingrained in his ways as a royal.

But now as Caridad watched the two young men who were both still boys the last time she saw them together, she couldn't help but wonder what had happened between them to have this much tension in the room. Neither of the two spoke and so the kind-hearted Lacus took it upon herself to act as a mediator.

"Athrun," she addressed, taking off Kira's possessive hold on her and stepping forward to welcome her supposed fiancé. "I am glad you are well."

"I heard of what happened to your father," Athrun said bluntly. He looked pained as he spoke, as though there was something eating him from within. "I suppose my apology wouldn't help at all as it won't bring Uncle Siegel back."

Lacus smiled, hoping that her tranquil disposition would ease her friend. "And I would not accept it either because it is not your fault."

"But it is my father's—"

"If we were all to atone for our fathers' and forefathers' sins, we would be doing nothing else in our lives. We already are pulled by the gravity of our decisions; we needn't be burdened by our fathers' choices, too."

He sighed, the guilt on his mind not ridding itself so easily. Even though Lacus had more or less forgiven him, she could still see that he wasn't feeling too well.

"Your hair has grown long again, Athrun," she commented. "Really, it's grown past your ears—"

"I did not come here to talk about myself." He cringed at how angry he sounded and then turned to face his best friend. "Kira, I'd rather we not beat around the hypothetical bush."

Kira grunted apprehensively, but one stern look from Lacus was enough for him to be more agreeable with the blue-haired heir.

"Very well. How did you know my sister?"

"How could I not have known her? She was the princess of Orb."

"You have never gone to Orb, so you could only have known her when she visited Plant with King Uzumi after the war—and even then she was only there for a few days. And if you had a regular correspondence afterwards, I would have known." Kira felt his patience with his insufferable best friend tested, but with Lacus at his side, he managed to not outright beat Athrun up. "Two years after the end of the war, Orb was sieged and Cagalli disappeared. Weeks ago, I found those documents in your office."

Athrun huffed. "I don't think it's fair that you're making these demands when you hadn't given me the opportunity to explain myself after you pushed me and ran off."

"Kira!" Lacus gasped, disappointed at the violent reaction done by the brunet—and to his best friend, of all people. "Apologize to Athrun."

"He wouldn't want a half-assed apology."

"Kira!"

"Alright, alright," he conceded with a frown. The pink-haired lady would always have her way and Kira knew not how to deny her of anything. "I'm  _sorry_."

Lacus smiled approvingly; then, she glanced at the Prince. "Shall I explain to him how you were reacquainted with the Princess, Athrun?"

"I don't believe he's entitled to know."

"For Haumea's sake, she's my sister, Athrun!" Kira shouted annoyed. "You could have told me you met Cagalli or that you were helping a  _fugitive_. Even as a Prince, as she wasn't registered, you could have been tried if someone found out that you were harboring her!"

"You know what the consequences could have been," Athrun answered back. "Surely you understand why I kept her presence in Plant to myself—heck, I didn't even know she was a  _princess_!"

"I understand? I don't, Athrun. I'm your best friend! And you didn't trust me enough with your dirty little secret; isn't it fair that I not trust you as well?"

 _Ouch_ , the Prince thought as he looked over to his defensive friend. Kira did have a point and while Athrun was a proud person, he also knew when to admit defeat.

He let out a sigh and pocketed his hands into his slacks. "Alright. I'm sorry that I kept her from you—as much as you're sorry for assaulting me after you found out. Is that reasonable?"

Kira considered it and then agreed. He held out his hand for Athrun to shake, but instead the Prince pulled his best friend into a hug. Lacus and the two other adults in the room watched the two friends reconcile before them.

When the two pulled away, Mu laughed and said, "Well, you kids had a really touching scene—Caridad here's crying!"

"They were practically babies back in Copernicus!"

"Mom!" Kira groaned; Lacus giggled at his side. "Don't bring it up…"

Caridad pinched her boy's cheek. "Oh, darling, I wasn't going to, but now I'm sure Lacus is curious as to what you wanted to keep secret."

"Please, Aunt Caridad, you needn't traumatize Lacus with the imagery," Athrun quipped with a laugh of his own. It felt nice to joke around—even if it was temporary. But now that he found a way to Kira, he was sure that he could also find his way back to Cagalli. "Now, what happened to not beating around the hypothetical bush?"

"Alright then," Kira said solemnly. "Being that I don't want to know what kind of relationship you have with my sister, you can ask me anything you want to know—that is, you can ask me what you think can help in our search for her."

"Wait." Athrun's breath hitched. "What do you mean  _our_  search? Do you mean to say Cagall's not with you?"

* * *

Cagalli brought her hands up to feel the silk handkerchief Yuna has used to blindfold her. She hadn't expected him to cover her eyes, but he insisted that it was for the element of surprise; and threatened her that if she struggled, he would take her back to his estate.

And so she didn't fight him. After he told her that her father was alive and more or less well, she could not calm the erratic beating of her heart. This was similar to how she felt when she found out that Kisaka was alive—except; now she had a reason to doubt Yuna because he might be just pulling her leg. He seemed to enjoy teasing her and making her feel terrible, but then, she thought, what reason did he have to lie? Her father could be alive, taken as a prisoner and suffered, but  _alive_ —after years of believing he was truly gone, it was a possibility she was willing to hope for.

"I'm surprised that you agreed to wear a dress," Yuna remarked with no hint of his usual gloating tone. "You look beautiful."

Cagalli let her hands drop back to her sides. She hadn't expected him to bring her to her father  _and_ compliment her. Unknowingly, she blushed and turned away.

"But I'm a little bit disappointed with your hair," he added as he pulled at the hair she had cut unevenly. "You should grow it out—I like it better that way."

If earlier Cagalli was blushing because she felt flattered, now the rouge in her cheeks was definitely brought about by her annoyance with the supposed man who had hair longer than hers—shouldn't it be her telling him off about his own hair which was too long for a proper man?

Yet she bit back whatever insult which was already half-formed on her lips. If she answered back, would he take it as a sign of resistance? Would he take her back to the estate? She wouldn't risk not seeing her father, so instead she nodded to appease him. She'd let him have his own little victories if it meant lifting a giant burden off her shoulders.

"If I remember correctly, Yuna," she spoke carefully unsure what tone of voice to use that would not make him change his mind. "Is not the Sahaku estate beside that of the Seiran's? How is Lord Koto currently fairing?"

"He is dead."

The Princess frowned as the fact started to sink in.  _People have died_. It had been five years, after all.

"That is…a shame. He had often bought me gifts as a little girl."

Yuna clicked his tongue. "Everyone offered tributes to the princess,  _Princess_."

"Even so," Cagalli was quick to defend herself. "He had been friends with my father since their childhood days."

"Would you say that my father was friends with yours?"

"Would it sound too optimistic if I told you that I believe that two friends can still maintain a mutual respect between one another even with great conflict between them?"

"Who are we to kid ourselves, my lady? Lord Seiran detested King Uzumi; surely you recall how he usurped your father's position?"

She grimaced, trying not to remember how Yuna claimed to be engaged to her for saving her life.

"I suppose it is in no one's interest to lie," she replied without any hint of aggression. "Lord Seiran hated Father so…"

"Well, look who's being all proper right now." Yuna grinned, amused that the flustered blonde reacted to his comment. Surely she did not believe she was fooling anyone with the way she acted. "If you're trying to get in my good graces, let me tell you now that whatever act you put up will be for naught."

Cagalli huffed and threw her arms across her chest. She wished she could see where Yuna was or where they were, but as they were inside a closed carriage, even if she didn't have a handkerchief over her eyes, she wouldn't be able to pinpoint their location. If anything, being blinded was in her favor as she didn't have to see Yuna's face.

"Why so, Young Lord Seiran?"

"First," Yuna corrected. "My title is only Lord Seiran now as my father is currently indisposed. Second, because as my future wife, you already are in my good graces."

The princess wanted to heave the nonexistent contents of her stomach onto the pretentious man's leather shoes. To be addressed as his future wife was a condemnation she would not simply take in stride—but she would not act on her anger  _now_ ; not when she still had to see her father.

"Can you tell me where we are going?"

Yuna could not help the sigh from escaping his thin lips. He could not believe that he'd stoop so low as to come to an agreement with Lord Djibiril. He had felt the same drop in his stomach before, as he watched his father make a deal with the devil more than five years ago. And now that he had made another deal for himself, he felt as though he had no soul left.

" _Did you not consider that if you did take her with you, she would not stop fighting for her freedom? She'd resist you for as long as she lives—and what if she decides that death is a better fate than being with you? How that would break you, would it not, Yuna?"_

His gaze traveled back to the blonde woman in front of him. He had meant what he had told her earlier; he genuinely found her beautiful. Yuna could not place where or when his feelings for the younger lady sprung as she had always acted improper and spoke so roughly, but perhaps that was exactly what had drawn him to her.

It was a shame, really, that the fire in her golden eyes were hidden behind a delicate piece of cloth. Instead his eyes roamed to the rest of her body and admired the curves hidden beneath her pale green dress of chiffon and lace. The dress bared her collarbone and arms and Yuna would agree that any other woman would definitely be jealous of how perfect the Princess was.

Ignoring her question, he instead asked, "Would you believe me if I told you that I'm going to break you?"

Cagalli in turn ignored the solemnity of his voice and let out a laugh. "If you've the gall, then I dare you to even try."

"Do not wish for things you do not truly want,  _Cagalli_."

"And you, _Yuna_ , should not wish for things you know you cannot have in actuality."

The Princess felt the carriage come to a halt and Yuna was quick to roughly pull off the cloth over her eyes. The light blue of his eyes turned into a dangerous gray and she felt afraid of what he could possibly do to her; after all, he had demonstrated to her that he was not completely against the idea of striking a woman—the Princess of Orb, no less.

"It is in my blood to dream big, Princess."

"And your blood comes from your father, who proved to the whole of Orb the capacity of his own ambitions."

"And your point is?" Yuna met her challenging glare and he began to lose the feeling of culpability he had felt earlier. If she were to speak like that, then so be it. He could now no longer wait for when he would attain her submission. When she made no indication of replying, he shook his head and knocked on the door—and the light from the afternoon sun flooded into the small space of the carriage.

The brightness had caught her off-guard. She was beautiful, yes, but now he could not help but wonder if she would still look the same without the contempt in her eyes.

"We're here."

* * *

Athrun felt his head hurt as Kira recounted their plans to re-conquer Orb. They had asked for the help of the Alliance—and King George Allster had agreed to lend his troops for the impending battle. But as Athrun was there as a diplomat, he could not be caught in the crossfire or else a completely different war would start.

"If that is the case, then I—no, we all have to leave." The blue-haired prince turned to his escorts cum advisers with a grave expression. "If Orb is to become a battlefield and the Alliance is fighting on the other side, we cannot be here." He then faced Lacus and told her, "You cannot be here either."

"I am staying."

"You are a noblewoman and if you were to be killed here by any Omni force, then it would be a declaration of war!"

"Then I denounce my citizenship to Plant," Lacus counters, sticking by Kira. "I will not pledge to serve the king who killed my father. If the king is considered the lord of his land, the protector of his kingdom—then I believe Patrick Zala is no king."

"Lady Lacus!" Shiho gasped as the other nobles from Plant could not speak, what with the noblewoman saying something which could be considered treason. "Please, at least respect the Treaty of Junius."

"I do respect it, Lady Shiho," Lacus replied calmly. "But I will not cower behind any sense of false security. Athrun," she addressed, looking at her oldest friend. "Your father has taken away my father from me and he is the only home I have ever known. Surely you understand that I have nothing to return to."

Athrun nodded, but still could not agree to leave her behind. He knew Kira would protect her here in Orb, but Athrun was not sure if his best friend would be truly able to watch over the pink-haired lady at all times if he would be out fighting for his sister.

"Well decide on Lacus's fate later," he declared, looking gravely at each of his constituents. Finally, his eyes met hardened blue eyes and he gave a questioning glance to the platinum blond noble. "Is something the matter?"

"I might have forgotten to inform you of another occurrence during the Royal March, Your Highness."

The Prince was taken aback by Yzak's sudden formality, but the gravity of their current conversation would not let him laugh at his friend being more agreeable than usual.

"Is it that you misplaced your mind, Sir Joule?"

Yzak clenched his fists, containing his ire and irritation at the blue-haired prince's supposedly inconspicuous insult—but then his anger would be misdirected for truly it was himself who was at fault. Instead he nodded his head and said, "I had reported my sighting of Shinn Asuka—"

"Wait, Shinn; as in the black-haired boy from Februarius?" Kira interjected. "He had guarded Cagalli because he was aware that she was the Princess of Orb."

"Are you telling me Shinn knew all this time of Cagalli's true identity?" Athrun could not help but feel deceived; he had previously informed the prince that he knew nothing of her—could it be that Shinn knew before Athrun did? "It doesn't matter now. Yes, you told us you saw Shinn and that the girl in the castle is named Stellar."

"Yes, well." Yzak was clearly nervous—which was a sight one wouldn't see in any other time. Shiho saw her fiancé's distraught expression and put a hand over his arm. He calmed down at her touch and continued, "I told him to send a message for me, to my mother. He will inform her that Lord Djibiril is here and she is to send a sizeable army."

"A  _sizeable_  army?" Athrun screeched, his hands pushing down on the table in front of them. He was  _livid_ —and his green eyes were hazed with his uncontained fury. "Aside from you and Lacus, is there anyone else who wants to just forego the Treaty of Junius altogether? Do you really want another war to break out? Have both Plant and the Alliance not suffered  _enough_?"

The house shook with the prince's anger. The younger children of the orphanage peaked from the top of the staircase, but Caridad was quick to shoo them back into their rooms. She herself could not imagine more children to become orphans as an effect of another war. After doing so, she went back downstairs and found the two men still shouting at one another.

"We didn't even have confirmation of Djibiril's presence!"

"He is the uncle of that Stellar girl; that is confirmation enough that he is most definitely in Orb!"

"And if he isn't, are you willing to bear the burden of subjecting so many innocent lives to more conflict? You do not care for anyone else other than yourself, Yzak! Two armies in Orb will only bring destruction!"

"Not if they are working towards the same goal of purging the land of the madman named Djibiril!"

"But will the soldiers know that?" Athrun roared, latching onto the lapels of Yzak's coat and shoving him angrily to the wall. "Can they simply forget the contempt they had felt from their own losses from the previous war?"

"Soldiers do as they are ordered!"

"Soldiers are human and they make mistakes! They will forego orders if they feel the need to satisfy their own thirst for blood!"

Kira and Mu pulled Athrun away from the white-haired noble while Shiho and Dearka stepped between them before Yzak could retaliate. Shiho stepped ahead and held Yzak's hand, not minding the looks from their company.

"You kids are going to be the death of me," Mu sighed, sitting back on one of the chairs. "I don't have to say it, but I will anyway: this is a  _mess_. Do you mind if I shared my own insight?"

"Not at all, Sir Mu," answered Athrun as he massaged the aching spot over his temples.

"Great," Mu began. "Lady Clyne cannot return to Plant because the King had her father assassinated for opposing his ideas. I do believe she is just as safe here as she is in Plant. Next, we had asked for the help of King George Allster because he feels guilty that he had let Lord Djibiril come this far when he could have stopped the madman back in the Alliance. The Treaty of Junius does not favor this decision as the Blue Cosmos is now extraneous of the Alliance, but he still offered his aid. Now, as for an army from Plant; both you young men have valid points, but I think we should face the reality of the situation."

"And which reality is that?"

"That Patrick Zala's intentions are not to protect his kingdom, but to satisfy his own grudge against the men who had taken his wife away from him. He wants a  _war_  against Orb simply because Lord Djibiril is here—he murdered one of his advisers who opposed him. At least we know that King Allster is fair and just, that he is offering his assistance with good intentions."

Kira sat in front of Mu and asked, "So what do you suggest we do?"

"If we had to pick one other kingdom to help us, it would be the Alliance. I'm sorry, Lord Joule, but you need to retract your statement as soon as possible. You need to reach your mother before your messenger."

Yzak nodded, knowing he was well at fault. His mother was a devout supporter of Patrick Zala and while he had told Shinn to tell her not to inform the king, she probably went on ahead to do so anyway. At the time he thought it was the best idea to prevent a war—but now that he knew that King Zala actually  _wanted_  the war meant trouble if Plant got involved.

"I will go," Shiho spoke up and Yzak looked up from his thoughts to see his fiancée with an earnest face. "I am the fastest rider among us—no, do not even argue with me now, Yzak—and I'm sure I am more than able to convince Lady Ezalia."

"But you—"

"No, Yzak. You need to be here, to fight if needed. I'm afraid that even as an elite red knight, I am still not in the same league as you boys."

"Thank you, Shiho," Athrun interjected before Yzak could throw a tantrum. "Please take Lacus to Plant with you and keep her in your estate."

"Athrun!" Lacus was quick to object. "I can't return to Plant—"

"And you," he continued, looking at his ex-fiancée. "You will bring Aunt Caridad and the children with you. If you will not do it for your own safety, then you will for theirs."

For once Lacus could not find words to express her disagreement with him. She turned to Kira for support, but instead the brunet shook his head.

"I'd rather you not get caught in the crossfire," he said with a slight tremor in his voice. Lacus gripped his arms and bit her lip—she didn't want to leave his side, she didn't want  _him_  to be the one in the battlefield. "I can't risk losing you, too."

Dearka let out an exasperated sigh. "Well, if this isn't a love-fest, I don't know what this is. Are there any other couples who want to show off their affections for each other?"

"Stop being too bitter, Dearka," Nicol laughed, punching his friend's shoulder lightly. "You'll find a girl of your own one day."

"Aunt Caridad?"

They all stopped from their discussion to find two teenagers at the doorway. One was a girl with short hair that was the color of hazel while the other was a boy with orange glasses.

"Well," Dearka whispered to Nicol. "Today might just be that day, my good friend."

"Miriallia, Sai!" Caridad walked to the two teenagers who were both wearing their cloaks, signifying that they were going out. "Where are you two headed?"

Sai spoke up with a frown on his features. "We had heard that there was an announcement to be made at Heliopolis Square."

"An announcement?" Kira asked. "Of what?"

"We don't know, but it was all hushed up and the man who told us of it quickly left," Sai answered. "I think something's going to happen there right now."

* * *

Before she exited the carriage, Yuna had put a tiara on top of her head, telling her that it was only proper for the princess to face her subjects with the sign of her status. She could not deny that it had felt wonderful to have a crown of her own again. She remembered being opposed to wearing the fancy jewelry when she was younger, but now it had felt  _right_.

Cagalli stepped out and instead of her expectations that he had led her back to her castle, she saw that she was in the middle of the city, in Heliopolis Square itself. Different performing groups often staged their plays here because of the public crowd it could gather, but she was not sure what had happened to it in the past five years. Were there still shows held on the very stage she was standing on, did the people find a form of entertainment during the dark times of their suffering?

In front of her, people were standing and looking at her with shock. There were murmurs in the crowd and Cagalli could not hear one definitive thought from the audience, but Yuna held her elbow and said through gritted teeth, "Straighten your back and smile; wave politely and introduce yourself."

She did as he said and soon the people were on their knees. How could they have not recognized her, Cagalli wondered, looking at the citizens oddly. But what she did not know is that the citizens were just as confused as her.  _What was their princess doing outside?_

The blonde was nervous. She recalled the last time she had stood in an audience this big, she was mocked at—they would not believe her claim to the throne; but now they were on the ground in worship of her. The power, the recognition—it all felt  _amazing_. But then she noticed that in front of the stage were soldiers. She looked to her right to see Yuna was no longer there at her side. She squinted her eyes; was this a test for her? Was she actually trying to measure her or something?

Well, she decided, after having her go through such embarrassment earlier in the day, she would not let him just  _toy_  with her. Cagalli stood her ground on the stage and spoke.

"Rise, my loyal subjects."

The people stood, looking more confused than before. She stood there, smiling and waving, unsure of what to do.

"Well, you look wonderful,  _Your Highness."_

Cagalli turned to the left side of the stage where a man with white hair and pale lips stood. He knew who she was, but did she know him? Was he also part of Yuna's plot? Cagalli shook her head—what the  _hell_  was going on? Didn't Yuna tell her that he was going to bring her to her father?

"You're definitely in better shape than your father," he mocked with a loud laugh. Cagalli clenched her fists; how dare he insult her father so freely? She was ready to march up and take a swing at him, but she saw that there were two soldiers standing guard beside him. "Bring him out, boys."

From the backstage, two more men appeared, dragging a tall stick of a man in loose-fitting garments which were undeniably tailored for a man of good social standing. Cagalli could not see his face as it was covered with a sack, but then when the man was standing at the center of the stage, the other white-haired man strolled up to him and took off the covering.

Cagalli could not believe her eyes.

"Father?" She shook in place; her father looked so worn, so tired of the world. His face had seen much suffering and his face was hollow, his eyes dull; yet he was smiling at the sight of his only daughter. "Father!" _  
_

The people in the audience gasped—surely the frail man could not be their proud King Uzumi? But there the Princess was, declaring the identity of her father, the king whom they all believed to have died during the siege.

She wanted to run to him, to hug him and ask for his forgiveness. She had failed him, after all; she had failed to save Orb—but she would promise to make up for it, she would promise to be a good queen and finish what he had started, to make the kingdom better than before. With her tears overflowing, she wanted to tell him that she loved him, that they will never be parted from each other again.

But Yuna was now back on the stage and holding her back from her father.

"Yuna, let me go!" she struggled in his arms, kicking and punching blindly into the air. "Yuna!"

"King Uzumi!" She heard Yuna shout and saw her father look up to the purple-haired noble. "Did you agree to marry off your daughter, Cagalli Yula Athha, to me, Yuna Roma Seiran, for saving her life five years ago?"

Cagalli shook her head, wishing that her father would say that what Yuna had told her was a lie; but instead the King nodded. Cagalli still let her tears fall. Why would he not say anything? Had he lost his ability to speak? Why did he look so weak? Why was he not rushing to her rescue?  _Why?_ The people booed at the name of Seiran, but then they hushed themselves, wanting to hear what was going on the stage.

"And do you acknowledge the future union between us to be genuine?"

Again, Uzumi nodded and Cagalli continued to fight in Yuna's grasp.

"No, no! Yuna, let me go—Father, please! Please, don't do this to me; don't..."

And when her eyes landed on the white-haired man whose thin lips were contorted into a wicked smile, that was when she realized that this was all for show. They were already on the stage, after all; and the audience only needed the story, the plot to watch for entertainment. And the only person who was truly enjoying this was also on-stage.

_"Would you believe me if I told you that I'm going to break you?"_

Yuna loosened his hold on her—whether on purpose or not, she didn't know—and she rushed to run to her father's side. She could save him, she could forego her responsibilities as the next in line for the throne and run away with her father; where they could start over again and leave their past behind them. She could save him, she  _could_ —

"Father, no!"

But it was all too late. As soon as the fire arrow hit its target, her father was engulfed in flames.

_End of Chapter Thirteen_


End file.
